Protect yourself against coronavirus fraud

Washington, DC - Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-2) has emailed his constituents in an effort to warn them about people who are preying on people during the worldwide pandemic with fraudulent claims and schemes. In that e-mail he warned:

During these uncertain times, criminals are attempting to exploit the coronavirus threat through various scams. I am grateful that the Department of Justice is remaining vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis.

You and your family can protect against scams by knowing the signs. Be cautious of:

• Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for coronavirus 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 virus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.

• Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.

Criminals will likely continue to use new methods to exploit coronavirus worldwide. If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving coronavirus, you can report it without leaving your home. You can do this by:

• Contacting the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via email at disaster@leo.gov.

• Report it to the FBI here.

• If it's a cyber scam, submit your complaint here.

He ended the communication by saying, "My number one priority is keeping our community healthy and safe during this time. I am grateful to serve the Second District, for continued updates from our office, subscribe here."