Public Urged to Report Suspected COVID-19 Fraud

Washington, DC–the public is urged to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or writing to the NCDF email address at disaster@leo.gov.

The Department of Justice is committed to preventing, pursuing, prosecuting, and punishing individuals and businesses that take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to engage in criminal fraud.

Some examples of these fraud schemes include: 
•    Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.
•    Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
•    Malicious websites and apps that appear to share coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received. 
•    Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations. 
•    Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.      

The NCDF can receive and enter complaints into a centralized system that can be accessed by all U.S. Attorneys, as well as Justice Department litigating and law enforcement components to identify, investigate and prosecute fraud schemes.  The NCDF coordinates complaints with 16 additional federal law enforcement agencies, as well as state attorneys general and local authorities. 

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