Crisis Brings Out The Scammers, Authorities Say

Local, state and federal officials are reaching out to warn people about schemes to profit illegally off of coronavirus fears.

The potential for scamming grows with any crisis, and as with many scams, authorities say seniors are at particular risk.

From local senior agencies to the state attorney general's office and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, officials are warning people to watch their money and their personal information, and reminding folks that a deal that seems too good to be true probably is.

The IRS is warning retirees that no one from the agency will reach out to them by phone, email or in-person about their money from the stimulus package. The agency is sending these $1,200 payments automatically to eligible retirees and no additional action or information is needed on their part to receive the money.

Officials say never give your social security number, bank routing information or other personal information over the phone or through email to someone who says they need it to deposit your check.

The state attorney general's office says there are many ways people could try to profit off of coronavirus fears. 

They may try to pitch miracle cures when none actually exist for the virus. Or they may pretend to be from a nonprofit and prey on people's desire to help. 

The office suggests individuals make donations to established nonprofits and use a credit card in order to have a record of the donation.

The IRS has a reporting page for a variety of possible abuses of tax issues at: https://www.irs.gov/privacy-disclosure/report-phishing.

The N.C. Department of Justice can also be contacted about potential scams at https://ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint/ or 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.