The
City of Rockford has shared a few tips to help stay alert and prevent scammers from taking advantage of you during this community crisis…
- Hang up on robocalls or any numbers you don’t recognize.
- If you do answer, don’t press any numbers.
- Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from scam Coronavirus treatments to work-at-home schemes.
- The recording might say that pressing a number will let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, but it might lead to more robocalls, instead.
- Fact-check information. Scammers, and sometimes well-meaning people, share information that hasn’t been verified.
- Before you pass on any messages, contact trusted sources.
- Visit What the U.S. Government is Doing for links to federal, state and local government agencies.
- Know who you’re buying from. Online sellers may claim to have in-demand products, like cleaning, household, and health and medical supplies when, in fact, they don’t.
- Don’t respond to texts and emails about checks from the government. Details of a stimulus package are still being worked out. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer.
- Don’t click on links from sources you don’t know. They could download viruses onto your computer or device.
- Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or experts saying they have information about the virus. For the most up-to-date information about the Coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
