COVID-19 Scammers, COVID-19 Fraud, North Carolina 2020

COVID-19 scammers are preying on the fears of the public, with U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. urging citizens to report suspected fraud schemes related to the pandemic.

Higdon, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, is warning the public about fake cures, phishing emails, and malicious websites that appear to share Coronavirus-related information but are actually scams.

“As our health care professionals and first responders work tirelessly to defeat COVID-19, we can be certain that criminals will attempt to profit from the fears of the public and will take advantage of this dangerous pandemic for their personal gain,” Higdon said.

The scams include individuals and businesses selling fake cures online, phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and malicious websites and apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.

“We want to raise awareness and forewarn those who might otherwise fall victim to these scams,” Higdon said. “The Department of Justice is committed to detecting, investigating, and aggressively prosecuting those who commit this wrongdoing.”

In a memorandum to U.S. Attorneys issued March 19, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen directed each U.S. Attorney to appoint a Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator to serve as the legal counsel for the federal judicial district on matters relating to the Coronavirus, direct the prosecution of Coronavirus-related crimes, and to conduct outreach and awareness activities.

The Eastern District of North Carolina’s Fraud Coordinator is Assistant United States Attorney Ethan Ontjes. The National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or by sending an e-mail to disaster@leo.gov 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.

“We are committed to fighting COVID-19 related fraud that is unfortunately emerging across the country,” Higdon said. “To find more about Department of Justice resources and information, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.”

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