The Federal Trade Commission announced that Americans have lost $13.4 million to COVID-19 scams since the start of the year. The agency said in a blog post that they have received 18,235 reports of fraud related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Many of the reported scams are related to travel, and vacations as fraudsters are looking to attract victims by promising cheap flights and hotels. Other scammers are pretending to work for the government and are asking people for their bank account information, promising to deposit the $1,200 stimulus check into their account.
The FTC said that government agencies will never cold-call you to ask for your bank account or other personal information.
"If you're getting calls, emails, or texts, or you're seeing ads or offers online, keep a few things in mind: First, the government will never call out of the blue to ask for money or your personal information (like Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers). And second, anyone who tells you to pay by Western Union or Money Gram, or by putting money on a gift card, is a scammer. The government and legit businesses will never tell you to pay that way."
According to CNBC, the $13.4 million in losses accounts for roughly three percent of the total $432.4 million in fraud reported to the FTC through the end of March.
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