Avoid Coronavirus Scams
- Learn how to tell the difference between a real contact tracer and a scammer. Legitimate tracers need health information, not money or personal financial information.
- Don’t respond to texts, emails or calls about checks from the government. Here’s what you need to know.
- Ignore offers for vaccinations and miracle treatments or cures. Scammers are selling products to treat or prevent COVID-19 without proof that they work.
- Be wary of ads for test kits. Most test kits being advertised have not been approved by the FDA, and aren’t necessarily accurate.
- Hang up on robocalls. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from low-priced health insurance to work-at-home schemes.
- Watch for emails claiming to be from the CDC or WHO. Use sites like coronavirus.gov and usa.gov/coronavirus to get the latest information. And don’t click on links from sources you don’t know.
- Do your homework when it comes to donations. Never donate in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money.
Blog Posts
Relief Checks
- Last call for Economic Impact Payments: Nov. 21 at 3 ET
- Non-filers: Expect a letter about your stimulus check
- Getting stimulus payments to homeless communities
- Economic impact payment fix for 50,000 eligible spouses
- The IRS won’t call about your stimulus money
- Getting stimulus checks from car dealerships? Nope.
- How to transfer money from your EIP debit card to your bank account
- What to know about the Economic Impact Payment debit cards
- Did a nursing home or assisted living facility take your stimulus check?
- Did an ID thief steal your stimulus payment? Report it to us.
- Economic Impact Payments: May 5 deadline for some SSI and VA beneficiaries with kids
- Economic impact payments for U.S. citizens abroad
- If you get SSA or RRB and have kids: file before noon on April 22
- Coronavirus stimulus payment scams: What you need to know
- Coronavirus checks: flattening the scam curve
- Want to get your Coronavirus relief check? Scammers do too.
- Checks from the government
Treatment Claims
- FTC warns companies to stop peddling fake COVID treatments and cures
- FTC: Sellers need proof for COVID treatment claims
- Cracking down on fake COVID-19 cures
- More FTC warnings about scam Coronavirus treatments
- FTC warns 45 more sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments
- CBD, COVID-19 and cancer: The unfounded facts
- FTC sends more warnings to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments
- FTC & FDA: Warnings sent to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments
Financial Impact
- Temporary stop of COVID-19 evictions: what you need to know
- If you have federal student loans, read this
- IRS sending $500 to people mistakenly denied money for dependent children
- Scammy PPE sellers exploit COVID-19 fears
- Going shopping? Don’t get shortchanged
- Online seller failed to ship next-day PPE as promised
- Activate your EIP Visa debit card now
- Steer clear of work-at-home scams
- Fake emails about fake money from a fake COVID-19 fund
- FTC, SBA warn companies about SBA loan promises
- Fraudulent funders = big woes for small businesses
- Dealing with a deceased relative’s debt
- Planning a funeral? Know your rights
- FTC letters target more unproven MLM health and earnings claims
- Hurricane season 2020 and COVID-19
- Credit reports are now free, every week
- Coronavirus and your student loan debt
- COVID-19 ruined my travel plans. Now what?
- New funding for Coronavirus SBA loans attracts scammers
- FTC sends COVID-related warnings to MLM companies
- What you should know about payday loans and car title loans
- Dealing with debt collectors during the pandemic
- Managing your bills during COVID-19
- Behind on car payments because of the Coronavirus?
- Coronavirus and your mortgage
- Looking for work after Coronavirus layoffs?
Scam Alerts
- COVID-19 vaccines are in the pipeline. Scammers won’t be far behind.
- Giving wisely in the time of COVID
- COVID-19 clinical trial: real or fake? Learn how to tell the difference.
- Those free COVID-19 money offers on WhatsApp and Facebook are scams
- Scams in between stimulus packages
- Keep calm and avoid Coronavirus scams
- Help COVID-19 contact tracers, not scammers
- COVID mask exemption cards are not from the government
- Scams in online sales: when orders don’t arrive
- Is a scammer getting unemployment benefits in your name?
- Finding a furry friend in the era of COVID-19
- Fighting Coronavirus scams: taking stock
- Make your Coronavirus donations count
- Scammers offer facemasks but don’t deliver
- Avoid scams while finding help during quarantine
- While you’re at home, spot the scams
- 60 and over in the time of COVID-19? Read on
- Thinking critically about Coronavirus news and information
- Now more than ever, spot the scams with #FTCScamBingo
- FTC: Coronavirus scams, Part 2
- Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines
Imposters
- The FTC Chairman is not writing to you
- Utility company calling? Don’t fall for it.
- Scammers impersonate the FTC, too
- Not every COVID-19 testing site is legit
- Scammers are using COVID-19 messages to scam people
- Avoiding SSA scams during COVID-19
- Grandparent scams in the age of Coronavirus
Robocalls
Privacy & Online Security
- Settlement requires Zoom to better secure your personal information
- What to do when you (and your kids) are online at home
- Help COVID-19 contact tracers, not scammers
- How to avoid COVID-19 government imposter scams
- COVID-19 scams targeting college students
- COVID-19 contact tracing text message scams
- Don’t click links in unsolicited text messages
- Remote learning and children’s privacy
- Online security tips for working from home
Reports to the FTC
- COVID-19 report data “on the daily”
- What do COVID-19 scams look like in your state?
- COVID-19 scam reports, by the numbers
FTC Resources in Other Languages
See our consumer tips in Korean, Tagalog, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Government Resources
Stay Connected
- Bookmark this site (ftc.gov/coronavirus) to check back for updates.
- Subscribe to alerts for consumers and businesses to keep up with the latest scams.
- Like our FTC Facebook page.
- Follow @FTC for the latest tweets from the FTC.
- Link to ftc.gov/coronavirus for the FTC’s most up-to-date information about Coronavirus scams using these social media shareables.
Share in Your Community
- How to Spot, Avoid and Report Coronavirus Scams
- Add local contacts, like your state Attorney General, and state and local health departments. Then share it in your community.
