By BECKY RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
Coronavirus scams continue to be an issue, be cautious and watch out for the latest ones.
Snake oil cures – Too good to be true
Everyone is scared; wouldn’t it be great if there was a miracle cure? Judging by some of the emails in my spam inbox, there already is, and I can have it for just $19.95. Sadly there is no cure yet, and these messages are all scams. One active scam email claims that the government has discovered a vaccine, but is keeping it secret for “security reasons”. Other scams will claim to have supplies, like N95 masks, and take your money but never actually deliver any product. Don’t fall for the clickbait; just delete these and ignore them.
Government-issued relief funds
The government is working on relief packages that will likely involve sending affected people relief checks. That said, they will not send you information about this by email. Details of the relief packages are still being worked out, but here are a few essential things to know:
- The government will not ask for any fees upfront to give you these funds.
- The government will not call or email you to ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. Requests for personal info by an unsolicited phone call or email are usually a red flag that you are dealing with a scam.
- How the money will be distributed is still being figured out; if anyone offers you cash now, it’s a scam.
According to reports coming out of North Carolina, users are already seeing emails with the subject “COVID-19 PANDEMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE”, and promising a $1,000 check as part of the new stimulus package. The email asks for personal information so that the funds can be mailed to you, including your social security number and bank account info. Be cautious of any emails promising you immediate “relief funds” these are scams.
Watch out for price gouging
Hand sanitizer, hand soap, toilet paper … essential items that we all used to take for granted are now nearly impossible to get. I don’t know about you all, but those three seashells from “Demolition Man” are starting to sound pretty good…
According to reports from The Seattle Times, one man in Chattanooga, TN, bought up 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer to try to resell on Amazon and eBay. He posted them on Amazon and eBay and sold hundreds of them for multiples higher than what he had paid. The next day Amazon pulled his items for price gouging, and eBay followed soon after. This man still has thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer, but nowhere to sell them.
In San Diego, Calif., eight people were arrested for price gouging on basic products like toilet paper, hand sanitizer, masks and gloves. In Maine, investigators discovered a convenience store selling toilet paper for $10 a roll.
Watch out for price gouging, especially from online sellers like Amazon and eBay. Remain calm, don’t buy more than you need, and be patient with the people working hard to keep our stores stocked.
This, too, shall pass, we can get through this. Stay strong, Los Alamos, and watch out for scams!
Editor’s note: Becky Rutherford works in information technology at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
