Scam artists may reach out, claiming to be from the Oneida County Health Department. Oneida County is using contract tracers, but the health department and Oneida County Sheriff’s Office warn some bad actors have taken advantage of this situation.
Legitimate contact tracers will never ask for your Medicare number, financial information, or attempt to collect payment for a COVID-19 test. They won’t ask about the election or who you are voting for. Also, they won’t make an unsolicited call telling you not to get a flu shot.
If you are called by a contact tracer and are unsure if they are legitimate, you can call the Oneida County Health Department at 715-369-6111 to verify that they are actually working with the health department.
If you provide information before realizing that the call is fraudulent, contact the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office to report it.
The health department and sheriff’s office stressed there are legitimate contact tracers making calls. Through the use of contact tracing, the health department is able to notify individuals who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or other communicable diseases. Without cooperation from the community, contact tracing cannot be successful and notifications can’t be made.
