Scammers are taking advantage of fears surrounding the Coronavirus.
Avoid Coronavirus Scams
- Don’t respond to textsemails or calls about checks from the government. The details are still coming together.
- Ignore online offers for vaccinations and home test kits. There are no products proven to treat or prevent COVID-19 at this time.
- Hang up on robocalls. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from low-priced health insurance to work-at-home schemes.
- Watch for emails claiming to be from the CDC or WHO. Use sites like coronavirus.gov and usa.gov/coronavirus to get the latest information. And don’t click on links from sources you don’t know.
- Do your homework when it comes to donations. Never donate in cashby gift cardor by wiring money.
What the FTC is Doing
The FTC and FDA have jointly issued warning letters to seven sellers of unapproved and misbranded productsclaiming they can treat or prevent the Coronavirus. The companies’ products include teasessential oilsand colloidal silver.
Stay Connected
Like what you see?
- How to SpotAvoid and Report Coronavirus Scams
- Add local contactslike your state Attorney Generaland state and local health departments. Then share it in your community.
- Bookmark this site (ftc.gov/coronavirus) to check back for updates.
- Subscribe to alerts for consumers and businesses to keep up with the latest scams.
- Like our FTC Facebook page.
- Follow @FTC for the latest tweets from the FTC.
The FTC says the companies have no evidence to back up their claims — as required by law. The FDA says there are no approved vaccinesdrugs or investigational products currently available to treat or prevent the virus. Read more about the warning letters.
Law Enforcement Actions
- FTC Warns Nine VoIP Service Providers and Other Companies against ‘Assisting and Facilitating’ Illegal Coronavirus-related Telemarketing Calls
- FTCFDA Send Warning Letters to Seven Companies about Unsupported Claims that Products Can Treat or Prevent Coronavirus
Blog Posts
- Scammers are using COVID-19 messages to scam people
- Remote learning and children’s privacy
- Coronavirus checks: flattening the scam curve
- Avoiding SSA scams during COVID-19
- Avoid scams while finding help during quarantine
- The FTC keeps attacking robocalls
- Grandparent scams in the age of Coronavirus
- Small businesses: Where to go for financial relief information
- While you’re at homespot the scams
- Want to get your Coronavirus relief check? Scammers do too.
- 60 and over in the time of COVID-19? Read on
- Socially distancing from COVID-19 robocall scams
- Thinking critically about Coronavirus news and information
- Seven Coronavirus scams targeting your business
- Now more than everspot the scams with #FTCScamBingo
- FTC: Coronavirus scamsPart 2
- Online security tips for working from home
- Checks from the government
- FTC & FDA: Warnings sent to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments
- Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines
- FTCFDA warn companies making Coronavirus claims
Scammy Calls About the Coronavirus
- Fake tests for Medicare recipients
- Free test kit scam
- Sanitation supplies
- Health insurance pitches
- Mortgage scam
- Social Security Administration scam
- Small business listing scam
Recordings courtesy of Nomorobo.
Related Articles
- Robocalls
- How to Block Unwanted Calls
- How to Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams
- Miracle Health Claims
- How to Donate Wisely and Avoid Charity Scams
Other FTC Activities
Learn more about the agency’s response to the Coronavirusincluding how the agency is addressing competition matters.
Social Media Shareables
Link to ftc.gov/coronavirus for the FTC’s most up-to-date information about Coronavirus scams.
Resources
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- What the U.S. Government is Doing
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Resources in other languages
Korean
- 코로나바이러스 관련 사기를 발견, 예방 및 신고하는 방법 (How to spotstop and report Coronavirus Scams)
- 코로나바이러스: 사기범들은 뉴스를 이용합니다 (Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines)
- FTC 및 FDA: 사기성 코로나바이러스 치료제 판매자에 경고 (FTC & FDA: Warnings sent to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments)
Tagalog
- Paano MakikitaMaiiwasan at Iuulat ang mga Coronavirus Scam (How to spotstop and report Coronavirus Scams)
- Coronavirus: Sinusubaybayan ng mga scammer ang mga balita (Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines)
- FTC at FDA: Nagpadala ng mga babala sa mga nagbebenta ng mga mapanlinlang na paggagamot sa Coronavirus (FTC & FDA: Warnings sent to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments)
Simplified Chinese
- 如何确认、 避免和报告新型冠状病毒诈骗 (How to spotstop and report Coronavirus Scams)
- 新型冠状病毒：诈骗集团利用头条新闻 (Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines)
- FTC 与 FDA: 警告假冒治疗新型冠状病毒的卖家 (FTC & FDA: Warnings sent to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments)
Traditional Chinese
- 如何發現、 避免和舉報新型冠狀病毒騙局 (How to spotstop and report Coronavirus Scams)
- 新型冠狀病毒：詐騙集團利用頭條新聞 (Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines)
- FTC 與 FDA: 警告假冒治療新型冠狀病毒的賣家 (FTC & FDA: Warnings sent to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments)
Vietnamese
- Cách phát hiệntránh và báo cáo các hành vi lừa đảo liên quan đến vi-rút Corona (How to spotstop and report Coronavirus Scams)
- Vi-rút Corona: Những kẻ lừa đảo lợi dụng tin tức nổi bật Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines)
- FTC & FDA: Cảnh cáo gửi đến những người bán hàng phương pháp điều trị Vi-rút Corona lừa đảo (FTC & FDA: Warnings sent to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments)
Report Scams
Report a Complaint
If you come across any suspicious claimsreport them to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.