Insurance Consumer Advocate

Unfortunately, scammers are hard at work attempting to scam you during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are using all forms of contact - telephone, postal mail, email, text messaging and in person - to take advantage of the unsuspecting for financial gain and access to personal or insurance information.

Beware and protect yourself from these COVID-19 fraud schemes and scams:

Review the Federal Trade Commission COVID-19 Fraud Data below.

FTC Fraud Data is updated daily and viewable by location, type of fraud, contact method, payment method and age of victims.

Contact Tracing Scams

What is contact tracing?

Contact tracing is a vital tool used in slowing the spread of COVID-19 to protect you, your family and your community. When an individual tests positive for COVID-19, contact tracing is the process of identifying everyone the individual has come in contact with to advise those individuals of their possible exposure.

For more information on contact tracing, including a list of official phone numbers used for contact tracing in Florida, please visit the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Response site or refer to their COVID-19 Contact Tracing Fact Sheet.

Review the consumer tips below to ensure you will be able to spot a contact tracing scam.

Legitimate Contact Tracers Will Not Ask For Money

Legitimate contact tracers will not ask you for money.

Contact tracing does not require any form of payment. If someone is demanding payment through a money transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency, they are not a part of the Florida Department of Health or any other official organization.

Legitimate Contact Tracers Will Not Ask For Credit Cards

Contact tracing does not require your bank account or credit card information.

Do not share or confirm your personal or financial information, including bank account and credit card numbers, with anyone who contacts you. Contact tracing is a core public health function available at no charge.

Legitimate Contact Tracers Will Not Ask For Your Social Security Number

Legitimate contact tracers will never ask for your Social Security number.

You will not need to share your Social Security number in the contact tracing process. Immediately cease any communication with anyone claiming to be a contact tracer that is demanding your Social Security number.

Legitimate Contact Tracers Will Not Inquire About Immigration Status

Immigration status is not a part of contact tracing.

Legitimate contact tracers will not inquire about your immigration status or request any documentation associated with it.

Do Not Click On Links in Emails or Text Messages

Do not click on a link in a text message or email.

Scammers are including links in fraudulent text messages and emails. Clicking on these links may download malware onto your device or put you at risk for a scammer to gain your personal, financial or insurance information.

To report fake contact tracers:

Florida Attorney General: 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (866-966-7226) or www.MyFloridaLegal.com
Federal Trade Commission: www.FTC.gov/Complaint

Additional COVID-19 Scams

COVID-19 Clinical Trials

There are thousands of trials underway as companies race to find effective vaccines and treatments for COVID-19. Many of these research studies are legitimate, but some are not.

If you are considering volunteering for a COVID-19 trial, it’s important to know how to determine legitimate clinical trials, versus fraudulent clinical trials attempting to steal your money and personal information. Refer to the Federal Trade Commission’s guidance on COVID-19 clinical trials to ensure you know the difference:

COVID-19 Clinical Trial: Real or Fake? Learn How to Tell The Difference

FTC Article - COVID-19 Clinical Trial: Real or Fake?

COVID-19 Vaccine Survey

A person contacts you through email or text message requesting you complete a limited-time survey about a COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, etc.). In exchange, you are offered a free reward but asked to pay for shipping fees before it is sent to you.

Consumer Tips:

No legitimate survey will ask you to pay for a "free" reward or request your credit card or bank account information. Never give out your personal, financial or health insurance information to anyone who contacts you out of the blue.

Do not click on any links or open any attachments. Doing so could potentially install harmful malware onto your device or steal your personal information without your knowledge.

Do not call or text any phone numbers in the email or text message. If you would like to call the company, research a phone number for the entity online.

If you get an email or text message requesting your personal or financial information and you think it could be a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.FTC.gov

EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE COVID-19 VACCINE SURVEY EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES

To learn more about recognizing and reporting spam text messages, refer to the FTC's guidance here:
How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages

Free COVID-19 Testing Kit

A person contacts you to offer a free COVID-19 test. You may be asked to provide your Medicare or Social Security Number or health insurance information to process the request. The test may not be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or may not be accurate or you may never receive the kit.

Consumer Tips:

Do not give out your personal information or verify details of your insurance coverage to any unsolicited callers or anyone that approaches you in person.

Contact your doctor, health insurance company or the Florida Health Department for information on COVID-19 testing procedures and locations in your area.

Florida Department of Health 24/7 COVID-19 Call Center: 1-866-779-6121

Free Face or Respiratory Masks

Someone offers you free face or respiratory masks to prevent or recover from COVID-19. The person may request your Medicare or Social Security Number or insurance information in order to provide the masks. The masks may not be approved to prevent or treat COVID-19 or you may never receive the masks.

Consumer Tips:

Do not give out your personal information or verify details of your insurance coverage to any unsolicited callers or anyone that approaches you in person.

Contact your local county Florida Health Department to inquire if there are any free face masks available in your area.

County Health Departments - Location Finder Resource

Florida Department of Health 24/7 COVID-19 Call Center: 1-866-779-6121

Fake Charity

A charity solicits donations to assist those impacted by COVID-19. Your personal financial information will be requested and possibly used to make fraudulent purchases.

Consumer Tips:

To determine if a charity is legitimate, refer to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Check-A-Charity resource that lists all charities currently registered with the State of Florida.

Check-A-Charity Resource
www.FDACS.gov/ConsumerServices
1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352)

Do not trust the caller ID. While the name and number may appear to be that of a charity, it may be a scam artist attempting to obtain your personal information.

Low-price Health Insurance

A person claiming to be an insurance agent or company representative contacts you unsolicited via phone, email or social media with an offer of low-price insurance coverage. The scammer may even place advertisements online. The price is typically too-good-to-be-true. You may be required to make a payment immediately and advised that the coverage will become effective instantly. The coverage will not be legitimate, which you may not determine until you attempt to obtain medical services or a claim is filed.

Consumer Tips:

Only purchase and make changes to your insurance policy through a licensed insurance agent or your insurance company directly. Verify identity before making any payments or providing personal information.

Be sure that your insurance company or agent is licensed to do business in Florida.

To Verify an Insurance Company License:
Office of Insurance Regulation
Active Company Search
www.FLOIR.com/CompanySearch

To Verify an Insurance Agent License:

Florida Department of Financial Services
Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services
www.MyFloridaCFO.com/Division/Agents
850.413.3137

Be leery of unsolicited calls. Companies should not call you unsolicited requesting personal information or ask you to verify details of your insurance coverage.

Do not give out your personal information or verify details of your insurance coverage to any unsolicited callers or anyone that approaches you in person.

Vaccine, Preventative Medications or Immunity Pills

A medical professional claims that you can receive the first round of COVID-19 vaccination, or offers you preventative medications or immunity pills. The person will require your Medicare or Social Security Number or health insurance information to provide you with the vaccination or medications. The medications may not be approved by the FDA or proven to prevent COVID-19 or you may never receive the medications.

Consumer Tips:

Only accept vaccinations and medications from verified licensed medical professionals such as your doctor, pharmacy or the Florida Department of Health. If you have any questions regarding COVID-19 vaccinations or medications being offered, please contact:

Florida Department of Health 24/7 COVID-19 Call Center: 1-866-779-6121

Do not give out your personal information or verify details of your insurance coverage to any unsolicited callers or anyone that approaches you in person.

Do not trust the caller ID. While the name and number may appear to be that of a medical professional or health agency, it may be a scam artist attempting to obtain your personal information.