7 Coronavirus Scams: Police Urge Residents To Remain Vigilant

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Crises and disasters often spur people to come together and engage in mutual aid. Along with bringing out the good, though, crises and disasters can bring out the bad in people who would prefer to profit off the public's fear or misfortune.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about scams designed to profit off the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, crisis. The sheriff's office says that groups or individuals may try to use people's compassion or fear of the virus against them.

At a statewide level, Virginia law enforcement officials have teamed up with federal prosecutors and the FBI to create the Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force, a partnership that will investigate and prosecute fraud related to the new coronavirus.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office has put together a list of seven scams that could be used against people in the age of the coronavirus:

1. Treatment scam: Scammers are offering to sell fake cures, vaccines and advice on unproven treatments for the coronavirus.
2. Supply scam: Scammers call, email, or place ads saying they have medical products in stock.
3. Provider scam: Scammers contacting people pretending to be doctors and hospitals that have treated a friend or relative for coronavirus and demand payments for their treatment.
4. Charity scam: Scammers are soliciting donations for individuals, groups and areas affected by the coronavirus. Only donate to a reputable organization.
5. Phishing scam: Scammers posing as health authorities from the CDC and WHO are sending phishing emails designed to trick recipients into downloading malware or providing personal identifying and financial information.
6. App scam: Scammers are creating and manipulating mobile apps designed to track the spread of the coronavirus to insert malware that will compromise users' devices and personal information.
7. Investment scam: Scammers are offering online promotions to get you to buy stocks, claming that the products or services of publicly traded companies can prevent, detect, or cure the coronavirus, and that the stock of these companies will dramatically increase in value as a result.

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Although the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office has not received any reports of scams connected to the coronavirus, it's asking residents to remain vigilant. If you believe that you have been a victim of one of these scams or another type, contact the sheriff's office's non-emergency number at 703-777-1021.

Virginians who believe they have been a victim of an Internet scam or want to report suspicious activity also can visit the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

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• Coronavirus In Virginia: 460 Cases, 13 Deaths Confirmed By State
• New VA Coronavirus Task Force To Investigate Fraud Claims