Coronavirus Scams On The Rise In Montgomery County: Officials

NORRISTOWN, PA — While countless Montgomery County area residents, businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies have banded together in an unprecedented war effort to fight the coronavirus, there remain some out there who are seeking to take advantage of the situation.

Scams related to coronavirus are popping up around the area, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office warned.

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"Scammers are not taking a rest during this pandemic,” District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement Friday. “Be careful which emails you open, check out any companies asking for a donation via email or on social media, and be careful of unsolicited phone calls. The best way to protect yourself and your money from scammers is always to do some checking. And sometimes pressing the delete button or hanging up is the safest thing to do."

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The Montgomery County Detective Bureau has issued a list of common scams for local residents to keep an eye out for:

• Suspicious online businesses that claim to have in-demand products like hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, or face masks. Orders are placed, but merchandise is never sent. Be sure to check for online reviews of any unknown business before purchasing or providing any personal information.
• Fake charities that claim they will donate food or supplies to healthcare workers or other coronavirus relief efforts. Cross reference charities at CharityNavigator.org or CharityWarch.org.
• Scam robocalls are pitching a wide variety of fraudulent coronavirus treatments and remote work opportunities. Don't say anything, just hang up.
• Fake medical companies allege to have "online tests" for the virus, and are selling "cures." This is a scam.
• Scammers also claim to provide coronavirus tests to Medicare beneficiaries if they provide personal details. These scams come in the form of telemarketing calls, social media call outs, and even door to door visits.
• Letters, calls, and emails threaten that Social Security benefits will be terminated if you do not provide personal information or payments. Report all Social Security Administration related fraud here.

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