It’s not a matter of if the strand of coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19 will spread into North America, it’s a matter of when, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While this is bad news for most Americans and Canadians, it’s great news for scammers who are cashing in on our anxiety about the disease.
It’s important now to look out for fake cures, phony prevention measures, and other coronavirus cons. If you’re worried about coronavirus, you may hear about preventions or a "cure" on social media, in an email, or a website. The message or website probably contains a lot of information about this “amazing” product, including convincing testimonials or a conspiracy theory backstory. You figure it can't hurt to give the medicine a try, so you get out your credit card.
Don't do it! Although treatments are in development, there are currently no U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines or drugs to prevent coronavirus. Additionally, no approved vaccines, drugs, or products for the virus can be purchased online or in stores.
Peddling quack medicines isn't the only way scammers are trying to cash in on coronavirus fears. One scam claims that the government has discovered a vaccine but is keeping it secret for “security reasons,” while some con artists are impersonating the CDC and the World Health Organization in phishing emails. These messages claim to have news about the disease and prompt readers to download malicious software.
Be skeptical of alarmist and conspiracy theory claims, and be suspicious of products that claim to immediately cure a wide range of diseases. Be wary of personal testimonials or “miracle” product claims. And, as always, don’t rush into buying anything that seems too good – or crazy – to be true.
