Salem – April Fool’s Day is near and the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation
wants to make sure no one is fooled by three coronavirus scams.
Scam No. 1 – Avoid scams claiming to have a top-secret vaccine
or miracle cure, or claiming to offer government assistance or economic relief.
These false claims are scams intended to scare people into sharing their personal
information.
- Do not open emails, click links, or open attachments from anyone you do
not know
- Do not share your personal or financial information with anyone you do
not know
Scam No. 2 – Avoid scams requiring downloads to view coronavirus
maps. This is an attempt to get people to download malware onto their device.
Scam No. 3 – Avoid scams using the market downturn to convince
people to invest in a product with a guaranteed or very high return, including
investments tied to COVID-19, such as medical supplies, vaccines, and other
treatments. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Ask
three questions before making any investment:
“We are fortunate to have some great companies doing all they can to help
consumers right now,” said Andrew Stolfi, administrator of the Division of
Financial Regulation. “We want all Oregonians to make sure they are relying
only on trusted sources for the information they need to keep their families
safe and healthy during this outbreak.”
The division has set up a COVID-19
insurance and financial services page to help answer consumer questions.
For more information on investment schemes related to COVID-19, visit the North
American Securities Administrators Association news page.
If you believe you have been a victim of a COVID-19 scam, visit justice.gov/coronavirus to
report it to the U.S. Department of Justice.
If you have a question or concern about an investment product or advisor,
contact the Division of Financial Regulation advocates at 888-877-4894 (toll-free)
or email dfr.financialserviceshelp@oregon.gov .
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About DCBS: The Department of Consumer and Business Services
is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For
more information, visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov.
About Oregon DFR: The Division of Financial Regulation is
part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest
business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov and http://dfr.oregon.gov/Pages/index.aspx.