South Jersey Residents Warned About Coronavirus Text Message Scam

South Jersey residents should beware of a text messaging scam involving supposed coronavirus contact tracing, officials said Friday morning. Residents are urged to exercise caution and not to clink any links sent to them in a text message about contact tracing.

Scammers posing as government contact tracers have sent text messages to potential victims asking them to click a link sent in the text. Clicking on the link downloads software onto a victim’s phone that allows scammers access to personal and/or financial information.

Contract tracing — in which people who have been in contact with someone carrying the virus are warned and advised to quarantine — is an import tool in the effort by county and state health departments to assess and slow the spread of the coronavirus.

In legitimate circumstances, a person will get a text message from a state or county health department stating that a call will be coming from a specific number. The contact tracer will not ask for money or any personal information such as a Social Security or credit card number.