Coronavirus scams involving IRS stimulus checks, fake PPE and more have cost Americans almost $39M, officials say
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Almost $39 million has been lost so far due to coronavirus-related scams and rip-offs, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
The FTC said it's gotten more than 52,000 reports of COVID-19-related scams since the beginning of 2020, resulting in $38.59 million. The average consumer has lost $470.
Scammers have posted fake COVID-19 charities, and impersonated government agencies saying they need your account information to issue stimulus checks.
They've even pretended to sell personal protective equipment, or PPE. One legitimate PPE company had their entire website copied by scammers to fool consumers.
RELATED: Coronavirus warning: How to spot copycat websites selling fake COVID-19 PPE
When shopping online it's always important to use websites with an https URL, not just an http. They are safer than http URLs.
Money Fix Town Hall: Hot Scams & Rip-Offs, Part 2
Scammers have also taken personal information from your social media pages to steal your identity, also known as social engineering.
In March, before schools closed, the I-Team warned of phishing emails which could look like they came from your child's school, saying your child was exposed to COVID-19 which was also a ruse to get your persona information.
RELATED: Coronavirus phishing scams pose as CDC, schools to steal personal information, experts warn
If you receive a suspicious email from a school or business, you should always call them directly instead of responding to the email or clicking any link in it.
