As we near the end of March at the Outer Banks beaches, the United States remains embroiled in the coronavirus pandemic, with more positive cases and additional fatalities being reported each and every day.
But we’re certainly not alone in our fight against this invisible killer. Indeed, the entire world is dealing with the pandemic that’s profoundly changing how we live our daily lives.
But through all the chaos and confusion, stories are emerging that can make us all feel just a little bit better. There are companies now turning out masses of hand sanitizer, automotive plants suddenly producing ventilators and so many tales of average men and women helping out friends and neighbors in need.
These are the kinds of reports we seem to hear whenever there’s a crisis or national disaster anywhere in the world, stories that help us to restore some much needed faith in our fellow man.
But then, there’s the other group of people who seem to come out of the woodwork during times of trouble. And these unscrupulous individuals tend to prey on our fear and compassion, while often targeting the most vulnerable members of society.
And with an increasingly significant number of retirees and senior citizens in our coastal regions, all of whom are now at home waiting out the pandemic, we felt it would be prudent to call out some of the coronavirus related scams currently making the rounds.
There are plenty of them:
Promise of a Test. This is one we heard about recently, and the premise is simple. A representative calls you on the phone and gives you the good news that a coronavirus test is now available for members of your community.
He or she will ask you for payment up front and then direct you to a nearby medical facility to take the test. Only when you get there, there is no test and nobody knows what you’re talking about.
To protect yourself from this scam, never agree to give out payment information over the phone for any unsolicited reason. And then report the number to your local police, so you can help prevent others in the community from becoming potential victims.
Imaginary Masks. This is a scam that’s usually perpetrated online, but can also be done over the phone. A website will promise you masks for a discounted price, making it almost too good to turn down given the current climate.
There’s no doubting the popularity of face masks right now, even though experts have stated several times that a regular face mask will not prevent you from becoming infected with the coronavirus. But it can help to prevent the spread of the virus to others, and medical facilities need them in earnest right now.
That being said, many people still want to buy face masks for their own protection. But this scam takes your money and never sends you the product, leaving you with less cash and still no face masks.
You can protect yourself from this scam by paying close attention to the website address, confirming that it’s actually a legitimate medical supply company. If it’s on Amazon or Ebay, read reviews and do your due diligence like you would with any other purchase.
It should be noted that both Amazon or Ebay are taking down these fraudulent accounts as fast as they can, but they do keep popping up almost as fast as they’re being removed.
Fake Charities. Ah, here’s one that seems to pop up every time there’s a national or international crisis, and it preys on our compassion and our desire to help others less fortunate than ourselves.
This is almost always a scam that happens over the phone, with callers using either names of real charities or made up ones that sound legitimate. It can also happen online or via email, but the telephone seems to be the medium of choice for these scammers.
Obviously, legitimate charities are going to need our help in big ways during this crisis. But our recommendation is to deal with charities that you personally know, ones right here in our own backyard that have reputations for helping the local communities.
Miracle Cures. We can’t say this enough – there is currently no cure and no vaccine for COVID-19. But that hasn’t stopped scammers from promising one just the same.
If someone calls you promising a miracle cure for the current pandemic, hang up immediately! If they promise a drug that will keep you from getting sick, hang up immediately! If they promise you a special diet that will miraculously keep you safe from the coronavirus, hang up immediately!
You get the idea. Once again, there is currently no cure or vaccine for COVID-19. And if there was, you’d certainly be hearing about it from every reputable news organization in the world in record time.
Free Money! Now that the fiscal stimulus plan has been passed, you can bet the scammers are working on new ways to take advantage of the situation.
It’s actually already started, but will almost certainly pick up in earnest in the coming days and weeks. Be cautious and stay on guard, because these scams are almost certainly coming to a telephone near you in the very near future.
This scam works by tricking consumers into thinking they have to pay a fee in order to receive financial support from the government. Don’t believe it!
Your government stimulus check will be coming by one of three ways: either 1) via paper check, 2) via direct deposit or 3) via a pre-loaded debit card. As of this writing, the details are still being worked out in Washington, but it will be by one or more of the methods mentioned above.
It will never, ever be over the telephone. If this happens to you, take down the number and as much information as you can gather and contact your local law enforcement agency.
The five scams we’ve mentioned above are some of the more common ones now circulating in regards to the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. But we’re 100 percent certain that these scammers will be coming up with many more methods to try and separate us from our hard earned cash.
Even though it’s easy to become panicked in this type of environment, we urge all of you to practice common sense and don’t let anyone take advantage of your fear and/or your compassion.
If it sounds to good to be true, it almost certainly is. This advice works at pretty much any time and at any place, but especially during the world we currently find ourselves living in.
Stay safe everyone and keep on guard. We’ll get through this together. We look forward to seeing you here on the Outer Banks soon. In the meantime, feel free to browse through our website at obxrealtysolutions.com or contact us with any questions you may have about homes and our communities on the Outer Banks. Outer Banks Realty Solutions (252) 261-9003
