Scottsdale Police warn of coronavirus scam targeting residents
Apr 9, 2020, 5:15 PM | Updated: Apr 10, 2020, 5:21 am
(Facebook photo/Scottsdale Police Department)
(Facebook photo/Scottsdale Police Department)
PHOENIX — The Scottsdale Police Department has issued a scam alert after several residents reported being victimized by a coronavirus hoax.
Over the last several days, some Scottsdale residents have received a letter dated March 30 that claims to be from the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, according to a statement from the department issued Wednesday.
The letter goes on to claim that county health officials will be conducting door-to-door health screenings of residents, resulting in 45 day quarantines for those who are ill.
An unnamed facility in Phoenix is described as the quarantine location.
“This is a HOAX,” police said.
“County health officials do not go door to door to check the health of residents.”
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The department also encouraged residents to be especially mindful of potential scams during the coronavirus outbreak, advising residents to hang up on robo calls, ignore online offers for test kits or vaccines, double-check emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to conduct thorough research before donating to a COVID-19 relief fund.
Earlier Wednesday, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich and U.S. Attorney Michael Bailey announced the formation of the COVID-19 Fraud Task Force.
The task force is said to partner 12 federal, state and local authorities across the state in order to combine resources for the investigation and prosecution of those seeking to unlawfully profit from the current health crisis.
