WFHB

Just because scammers are thinking up new ways to swindle you, with Coronavirus hooks, doesn’t mean they’ve stopped doing their good-old – I mean, bad-old Standbys. Duke Energy is warning of Disconnection Scams again – that’s where you get a phone call or email from somebody claiming to be from Duke (maybe with the correct Caller-ID), threatening to cut off your electricity if you don’t cough up money immediately. Don’t fall for it! Duke isn’t disconnecting ANYBODY right now, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And if they do have a problem with your account, you’ll get a letter in the mail, not a phone call or email.

Gee, you think we’d be safe, staying at home all the time. Well, that does make it hard for a stranger to pull you into a dark doorway, or a pickpocket to stumble into you and lift your wallet. But ironically enough, it’s actually made it easier for swindlers to work some of their games. The Better Business Bureau is warning about fake coupons flooding social media and they say if a coupon doesn’t have an expiration date or needs your personal info, it’s a scam. But that’s not the only scam people are falling for in greater numbers now. Apparently quite a lot of people are deciding to adopt a pet – and trying to do it online.

Police agencies around the country are reporting a gang of con artists who are working a fraud they call, quote, “far-reaching, complex, and well-organized.” Their most successful tactic to hook victims has been an email saying the sucker has won something – money, a trip, or something expensive like a car or even a boat. Or, recently, they’ve been sending emails with some reference to Coronavirus in the subject line. Once anyone responds, they immediately ask for their personal information. But they don’t stop there.

There’s been a lot of information flying into my eyes and ears lately about the Coronavirus

Let’s face it, the COVID-19 outbreak has been a major interruption in all our lives, and for many, the shutdown has been a financial disaster. But you know what it’s been for scammers and swindlers? It’s a Bonanza! It’s getting wild out there, and not just in the west. The FTC reports that Americans across the country have already lost some 12 million bucks to fraudsters, who have more con games going than Pa Cartwright had cattle. The FBI has taken down hundreds of phony websites, but more show up every day. Here’s a quick rundown on the most common scams: