Palos Park police warn of scammers pretending to be COVID-19 contact tracers

PALOS PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Police in south suburban Palos Park have issued a warning about scammers pretending to be COVID-19 contact tracers.

Police said the scammers may ask for personal information, such as social security numbers or payment for tracing information. A real contact tracer would never do that.

Police said they are targeting the elderly and the sick.

Police said that a contact tracer may ask:

For verification of your date of birth, address, and any other phone numbers you may have; and

-If you have tested positive for COVID-19 they may ask for the date and location of where you were tested.

A contact tracer will never ask for:

-Your Social Security number, financial account information or personal details unrelated to your potential exposure to someone with COVID-19;

-Personal information through text message or website link;

-Photographs or videos of any kind;

-Passwords; or

-Any form of payment.