Page 47 - August 2020 Issue.indd

Contact Tracing Scams. Currently
Maryland Department of Health is TURNING 65?
urging people to ‘Answer the Call’ for
COVID-19 contact tracing. Contact Confused about all the Medicare Terms & Options?
tracing calls will appear as “MD COVID” Let Me Help You!
or 240-466-4488. Please be aware of the
phone number or Caller ID. Do not give
out you Social Security number or any Anthony Insurance Services

financial information such as your bank
information. “MD COVID” will not be Ann M. Anthony

asking for financial information.
Be aware, scammers are using illegal
robocalls to pitch scam coronavirus Specializing in Medicare Supplemental Plans,
treatments or fake emails or text Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Part-D Plans,
messages to steal personal information Dental and Vision, Long Term Care, and Life Insurance
under the facade of contact tracing. Call Ann Today for an Appointment 410-708-0899 • anthonyins17@gmail.com
22850 Fleming Road, Denton, MD 21629

Notably, The Federal Trade Commission
is warning about impostors who have
designed scams around state contact- part, putting you off guard. Also they ADULT CARE
tracing initiatives. will compel you to act, such as clicking
a link, downloading a document, or
You’ve probably heard a lot about contact Mid-Shore
submitting information and it may seem
tracing through phone calls or text
like a reasonable request, but it is not. Residential Care
messages. The idea is to “trace” people

Don’t!
who have been in contact with someone
Compassionate Care in
who has tested positive for Covid-19, Still, there are basic standards you can
and advise all those who may have been use to spot a scam. For example, real Your Home for 24 Years
exposed to quarantine strictly at home health department contact tracers will
and monitor for possible symptoms. never ask you for your Social Security CNA’s • Sitters
For this to work, contact tracers need number, credit card details, or other RN Evaluations

to get in touch with lots of potentially financial information. Also, they won’t Meal Preparation
impacted people. ask you to send money anywhere or Home Health Aids
participate in any type of transaction.
Contact tracing plays a vital role in Residential Cleaning

helping to stop the spread of Covid-19, There hasn’t been a lot of communication
However, scammers pretending to be about what an ‘offi cial’ contact-tracing INDIVIDUAL SERVICES
contact tracers are taking advantage of notice would look like, so again, call Lic.#R922
how the process works by sending bogus your local health department for more 410-820-1131
spam text messages that ask you to click information regarding contact tracing www.midshorehomecare.com
a link. Don’t! and ask the questions.

The malicious text messages can include The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Seniors, if you feel you or someone you
links that either download malware warns about an increasing number of know have been targeted by a scam,
onto your phone or take you to a page scams related to vaccines and test kits call the Department of Justice National
that tricks you into inputting personal for COVID-19. Scamming criminals Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311.
information or a password. The fake are also using this health event to create AARP’s Fraud Watch Network can help
text message may read something like…. fake charities that take advantage of the you spot and avoid scams with its free
“Someone who came in contact with kindness of others who are looking for “watchdog alerts,” scam-tracking map,
you tested positive for Covid-19” or ways to help during this pandemic. and toll-free fraud helpline at 877-908-
recommends you self-isolate/get tested. While we are all self-quarantining and 3360. The Attorney General’s Office,
It then prompts you to learn more social distancing we miss out on the Consumer Protection Division also

and suggest you click the link. Such sharing of information and collective offers a hotline at 410-528-8662.
malicious texts could also direct you to logic. Again, it cannot be emphasized While staying safe physically and
call a fake hotline to continue and take enough, do not give your social security mentally, it is also important to stay safe
your information there. Don’t. number or any financial information to financially. We are a community of many,

Beware, scammers want you in a state of a caller. When in doubt, don’t answer persevering as one. Stay Safe.

confusion. This may be attempted with a question you are not comfortable
a new challenge or decision on your answering.
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