Officials are warning Californians about scammers that pretend to be coronavirus contact tracers to trick people into giving their Social Security numbers and other personal information.
“These scam artists are contacting Californians by phone, email, or text,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Monday in a news release.
There are thousands employed across the state to reach out to people who have had contact with others who test positive for the virus. It’s meant to help residents take precautions and get tested so counties can track and contain the spread of the coronavirus.
A real message or call from a contact tracer would ask for the person’s medical symptoms and a list of people they’ve had contact with.
They wouldn’t ask for a Social Security number, bank or health insurance information, officials said.
“If someone claiming to be a contact tracer asks for any kind of financial information or tries to charge you money, it is a scam! Please report it,” Becerra said.
From fake test kits and cures to scams about government stimulus checks, California officials have warned about numerous scams that have cropped up since start of the pandemic.
“It sickens the soul that there are people out there who make it their business to scam you as most of us seek to band together to respond to the coronavirus pandemic,” Becerra said. “I ask all Californians to be alert and protect your personal information. And if you see something, say something. We are working to track these imposters.”
Officials urged those who believe they’ve been a victim or target of any coronavirus-related scam to file a complaint online.
Here’s a list of known coronavirus scams the Attorney General’s office is warning Californians about.