May 7, 2020
Issue V: Scams & COVID-19
Part of our COVID-19 Consumer Protection Guides series.
Pandemics and other disasters can bring out the best in a society: first responders, medical personnel, everyday heroes doing their jobs or helping their neighbors. Unfortunately, pandemics and disasters also seem to bring out society’s worst: the scammers and predators who see the disruption as an opportunity to take advantage of people at their most vulnerable. COVID-19 is no exception: modern snake-oil salesmen have been hawking hundreds of products claiming to “prevent” “treat,” or “cure” the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, financial fraudsters have been offering “help” obtaining stimulus payments and other types of relief. It turns out the virus isn’t the only thing we need to protect ourselves from.
This guide is intended for informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice.