Foxborough Coronavirus: Police Say Watch Out For Scams

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Foxborough police have warned residents to watch out for scammers using the new coronavirus pandemic to take advantage of people.

According to police, the FBI has seen an uptick in criminals looking to exploit people during the crisis. Some of these scams include donation requests, selling products that claim to cure or detect COVID-19 and those pretending to be from the IRS regarding stimulus checks.

With stimulus checks being mailed out to residents, people should be aware to avoid fake websites with misleading or incorrect information. To check the status of your Economic Impact Payment visit the IRS website here.

Residents expecting the economic impact payments from the the U.S. Treasury Department and IRS should be aware that these payments will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people.

Foxborough police urged resident to speak with elderly family, friends and neighbors because they are usually most susceptible to these scams. Do not give out personal information to people you do not know or do business with over the phone or online.

"No legitimate government entity will ever ask for your social security number or date of birth over the phone, and most all calls seeking an immediate payment of some sort are fraudulent," police said in a statement on Facebook.

Police asked residents who are worried a call might be a scam to call the department at 508-543-4343.