Scammers impersonating coronavirus contact tracers

The Blade
Fri, 22 May 2020 20:01:48 GMT

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The Toledo Lucas County Health Department has joined with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office in warning the public about scammers posing as contact tracers related to the coronavirus pandemic.

People claiming to be tracing others who may have been exposed to coronavirus victims have been sending texts or emails to individuals asking them for irrelevant personal information, the health department said. In no instance does anyone conducting legitimate contact tracing need to know anyone’s Social Security number, bank accounts, or any other similar financial details, the agency said.

Without identifying people who have tested positive for coronavirus, contact tracers work to identify and alert others who may have been in contact with those infected people. Contact tracers also may ask them to report personal-health observations for a subsequent period of time.

Officials advised the public to never click on Internet links or respond to texts telling them they have been exposed to the coronavirus, as all such contact tracing is done by telephone. Suspected scams should be reported to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost at OhioProtects.org or 1-800-282-0515.


Toledo Lucas County Health Department building in downtown Toledo.

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