The COVID-19 pandemic has also given scam artists another avenue to separate you from your money.
The State Division of Trade and Consumer Protection Administrator Lara Sutherlin says as the public is worried about the disease, the scammers are moving in...
"If you get unsolicited emails in your inbox purporting to tell you about the coronavirus, don't click on any links. This is a way scammers are playing on our fears and concerns about the coronavirus. They can have those embedded links in there that can infect your computer and cause some problems..."
Sutherlin says they've been seeing solicitations for vaccines and cures for the virus. She says if there was a treatment, the public would know about it through mainstream means....
"You will not hear about it from a popup in your social media or your email. Anything that is coming across your email about a cure for the coronavirus or a vaccine, don't open it, don't click any links. That, almost assuredly, is a scam..."
Sutherlin says in times of crisis, charities often pop up and want to be helpful. She says do your homework. She says if you want to donate to a charity make sure you've vetted them completely.
She says websites like the state's Department of Financial Institutions, Better Business Bureau or Charity Navigator are helpful in knowing the truth about charity donations.
