Authorities warn of COVID-19 scammers posing as contact tracers in order to steal your identity

Authorities warn of new COVID-19 contact tracing scammers trying to steal your identity

VENTURA, Calif. - Contact tracing is an important part of figuring out how COVID-19 is transmitted. But, now there are scammers posing as contract tracers to get into your wallets.

“There are those who are unscrupulous and looking for opportunities to try and scam people by posing as contact tracers,” said Danny Lo, with the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Lo prosecutes identity theft crimes. He said when real public health department contact tracers call they "may ask you things like, ‘are you feeling sick,’ or they may ask you basic identifying information."

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But, of the bad guys who want to rob you Lo said, "they’re posing as contact tracers to get your personal identifying information - financial information - in order to commit identity theft.”

Lo said a scammer may ask you about your social security number and personal, health insurance and financial information.

If you're concerned about being victimized hang up if you don't trust the caller or you could
ask what agency the caller is with, ask for their identification and their call back number.

You could also ask for the website and check it out.

Lastly, if you think you’re being victimized, call your local law enforcement. Lo said that Ventura County has not had a case yet. They hope by putting out this information — they won't get one.