The coronavirus pandemic has brought out the best in some people and the worst in others – and scammers are no exception.
With more people in and online, all facing a flood of emails, calls and text messages, it’s easier than ever to become the target of a scam.
The SC Department of Consumer Protection, which receives reports of fraud against South Carolina residents, said that certain types of fraud have increased this year.
An area of growing concern is online shopping. During the pandemic, many are spending more time online, which makes it more likely that they will encounter fraud aimed at getting customers to fall for very low prices or other scams.
“Scammers take advantage of any situation they can,” said Bailey Parker, director of communications for the agency. The coronavirus pandemic allowed scammers to take advantage of increased loneliness, fear and isolation.
Some scams are directly related to COVID-19. The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control has warned of fake contact trackers. Real contact trackers don’t ask for money, Social Security numbers or immigration status, DHEC said.
In early December, the Federal Trade Commission reported that it had received more than 250,000 consumer complaints related to the coronavirus. Most involved fraud or identity theft.
The state’s top federal prosecutor, US Attorney General Peter McCoy, issued a statement in mid-December warning South Carolina residents to be cautious of such fraud. He warned that some scams may announce the inclusion of his name on a list to obtain the vaccine or to gain early access, but this is not a legitimate process. No vaccine distribution site or insurance company will call asking for a Social Security number or money to apply for the vaccine, McCoy said.
He also warned against suppliers offering treatments or products that are supposed to prevent the virus.
Some of the biggest red flags for scams involve anyone contacting you out of the blue and trying to get personal information, Parker said.
The most common scams reported to the Department of Consumer Protection involve fake services and repairs, fake purchases or a threat of arrest, according to recent data.
Someone calling you and making any kind of threat, like arresting or shutting down utilities if you don’t send money, is another red flag, said Parker. It is best to hang up or delete any such message that is not from a trusted sender and then report it to the agency.
From January 1 to December 1 of this year, South Carolina residents reported losing almost $ 770,000 in scams, according to Consumer Affairs.
Since many never report being cheated, the actual number is probably much higher.
The technology used by scammers improves every day. The caller ID is no longer reliable, be it a number with your area code or even the same phone number as you or someone you know.
Some scams involve callers imitating a relative’s phone number to induce the subject to pay a “ransom” or “bail” that does not exist.
The alleged victims of the caller may be a grandchild, parent or child who is in school.
According to Parker, scams like this are easy to do. It is as simple as opening an application and entering the number you want to use.
November saw the largest amount of money lost to scammers by South Carolina residents throughout the year, almost $ 125,000. As the coronavirus pandemic keeps people at home, online and glued to their phones, the scams are likely to pose a growing threat against residents’ wallets and their mood.
Talk to Fleming Smith at 843-937-5591. Follow her on Twitter at @MFlemingSmith.