Lethbridge, Alberta – While Lethbridge Police haven’t received many complaints with respect to COVID-19 scams, it’s important for members of the public to be aware and remain vigilant.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre advises citizens that common COVID-19 scams involve fraudsters posing as:
• Cleaning or heating companies
• offering duct cleaning services or air filters to protect from COVID-19
• Local and provincial hydro/electrical power companies
• threatening to disconnect your power for non-payment
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization
• offering fake lists for sale of COVID-19 infected people in your neighbourhood
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• giving false results saying you have been tested positive for COVID-19
• tricking you into confirming your health card and credit card numbers for a prescription
• Red Cross and other known charities
• offering free medical products (e.g. masks) for a donation
• Government departments
• sending out coronavirus-themed phishing emails
• tricking you into opening malicious attachments
• tricking you to reveal sensitive personal and financial details
• Financial advisors
• pressuring people to invest in hot new stocks related to the disease
• offering financial aid and/or loans to help you get through the shut downs
• Door-to-door sales people
• selling household decontamination services
• Private companies
• offering fast COVID-19 tests for sale
• Only health care providers can perform the tests
• No other tests are genuine or guaranteed to provide accurate results
• selling fraudulent products that claim to treat or prevent the disease
• Unapproved drugs threaten public health and violate federal laws
The public is urged to protect themselves and be aware of:
• Spoofed government, healthcare or research information
• Unsolicited calls, emails and texts giving medical advice or requesting urgent action or payment
• If you didn’t initiate contact, you don’t know who you’re communicating to
• Never respond or click on suspicious links and attachments
• Never give out your personal or financial details
• Unauthorized or fraudulent charities requesting money for victims, products or research
• Don’t be pressured into making a donation
• Verify that a charity is registered
• High-priced or low-quality products purchased in bulk by consumers and resold for profit
• These items may be expired and/or dangerous to your health
• Questionable offers, such as:
• miracle cures
• herbal remedies
• vaccinations
• faster testing
• Fake and deceptive online ads, including:
• cleaning products
• hand sanitizers
• other items in high demand
In addition, some agencies in Alberta are also seeing an uptick in romance scams as more people self-isolate or work from home. In romance scams, fraudsters use fake profiles on social media and dating apps to gain the trust of their victims over a period of time before stealing from them.
For more resources about COVID-19 scams, the Better Business Bureau has also complied a variety information to help citizens recognize fraud and prevent themselves from becoming a victim. https://www.bbb.org/ca/news/scams
Lethbridge Police Service
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