Officials warn of scams as demand for COVID-19 testing continues
ATLANTA - As the demand for COVID-19 testing in Georgia continues to be high, officials are warning people about scams.
"Desperation is what scammers feed on," said Simone Williams, the media and public relations lead for the Better Business Bureau in Atlanta, Athens and Northeast Georgia.
According to Scam Tracker on the BBB's website, COVID-19 related scams have popped up all over the county and many of the recently reported scams involve testing.
"If they know you're desperate, and you're willing to do anything for that test, they're just going to prey on that," Williams said.
The US Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General is also warning people about testing scams.
The website lists scams ranging from people taking Medicare, Medicaid information, to crooks targeting the elderly by telling them a COVID test requires a blood draw, and then billing healthcare programs for unnecessary services.
Williams said you should also be cautious of places or websites that ask for a lot of personal information.
"If you're going to a testing site, and they are trying to collect your social security number, credit card information, banking, any financial information, that is a red flag," Williams said.
If you're still unsure, do some research online, check websites like the BBB, FBI, or the Federal Trade Commission for information on scams that have already been reported.
You can also contact your doctor, a pharmacist, or check for a list of reliable agencies or companies on government websites.
Williams said the extra steps could prevent a headache down the road.
"Take a step back, take a second and really comb through some of the websites. Just make sure you're not going off of emotion, going off of desperation," she said. "You don't want to end up dealing with COVID and a financial crisis."
There are scams involving at home COVID-19 tests as well. Make sure the one you're buying is authorized by the FDA for emergency use.
You can find that information on the FDA's website.
If you come across a scam, make sure you report it to the BBB and the GA Attorney General's Office.
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