One of the most persistent lingering side-effects of the coronavirus pandemic is the uptick in identity theft scams victimizing Arizonans. According to the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), out of every 100,000 Arizonans, 204 have filed a formal complaint of fraud with the commission this year. It is clear that this  underestimates the extent of the problem, as most scam victims do not file formal reports. Additionally, this does not count all the people in Arizona who are victims of attempted - but unsuccessful -  identity theft scams. The amount of misinformation available is truly staggering. To protect yourself and your loved ones, there are some best practices to follow. 

Avoiding Misinformation During the Pandemic

A first step to prevent being scammed is to learn how to best identify misinformation. The Arizona Secretary of State has a Consumer Protection Division tasked with helping residents avoid misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their guidance includes making sure you question not just the information you are receiving, but from whom you receive the information. Some smart things to think about before trusting someone else’s information include:

• Is the person a stranger or someone you trust?
• If the person is a stranger, can you verify the person is who they claim to be?
• Do they have identification or credentials?
• All government employees should be able to verify their identity and role quickly.
• What action is the person requesting you take?
• Are they simply trying to convey information, or asking you to take further steps?
• Are they selling you something?
• Does their request require you to open a link or tell them about yourself?
• Is their information backed by evidence? And what evidence?
• Have you consulted different, independent resources?
• Can someone you trust support their information?

Beware of Unsolicited COVID-19 Emails

One of the most common methods of stealing your identity is through unsolicited emails that will install malware on your computer. The FTC says that malware is used “to steal personal information, send spam, and commit fraud.” Essentially, malware takes over control of your computer without your knowledge, and it can simply be installed by either clicking a link or downloading a file from an email.

tips will help protect your computer or smartphone from being used to steal your private information and defraud you:

• Delete any email, especially coronavirus related, that asks for identification like your Social Security number or passwords. These are what are known as phishing emails.
• Before you click on anything, guide your cursor over the link to see the intended destination. 
• It can be clear the intended address is fraudulent. 
• More advanced scams will look like legitimate websites, so pay close attention.
• If you have any concerns regarding the destination, delete the email without clicking on anything.
• Be aware of emails that are written in poor English. 
• Basic errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling may be tip-offs that the email is illegitimate, and needs to be deleted.
• Be on the lookout for any emails that appear to not know your name. 
• A basic salutation such as “Hello sir or madam” can indicate the email is phishing, and can be deleted immediately.
• Be on high alert if an email seems unnecessarily urgent. 
• Phishing emails are hoping you click on a link or download without pausing to think, so insisting you act quickly is a trick to steal your information. Delete these emails.

The general rule is to think before you act! Do not click links or accept downloads from senders you do not know or cannot verify. And make sure you never send private information such as Social Security numbers over email.

Scams Involving Online Shopping

The coronavirus pandemic has curtailed trips to the store and created shortages of goods across the country. In Arizona, many people have increased their use of online shopping, or started online shopping for the first time, in response to COVID-19. Unfortunately, identity theft and online shopping go hand-in-hand. According to the Better Business Bureau, a startling 80.5% of consumers who reported an attempted online shopping scam in 2020 lost money as part of the scam. This is a nearly 10% increase from 2015, and a clear sign that scams during the pandemic are both more prevalent and more effective. In order to protect yourself, be particularly aware of the following scams:

• The Never Delivered Goods scam:
• When certain items became scarce at the start of the pandemic, scammers capitalized by creating fraudulent websites purporting to have the necessary items in stock.
• Think toilet paper, disinfectant, bleach, etc.
• The websites would take your order, usually with surprisingly low prices.
• There was never any intention to ship your goods.
• They likely never even had stock of any products.
• The scammers now had stolen your money and your identity too.
• They had your name, address, credit card information, and typically an email address and phone number as well.
• This scam has now evolved into pandemic related items like masks and gloves.
• The Discount Groceries scam: 
• Typically, a victim would receive a text message offering cheap or even free groceries.
• The purported giveaway was from a national chain like Costco.
• The value offered was usually $100 or more.
• In order to receive delivery of the groceries, the victim was asked to provide personal information.
• Name, address, phone number, and email address were always requested.
• Sometimes a credit card number or Social Security number was also stolen.
• The scammers were not associated with the store, and there never were any discount groceries.
• The victim’s identity had been stolen.

In both cases, the old adage “it’s too good to be true” applied. If an item like toilet paper is impossible to find, but someone online is offering it for less than normal, be skeptical. Likewise, there are no national chains giving away cheap or free groceries. 

Coronavirus Vaccine Identity Theft Scams

The most recent worrying development regarding coronavirus and identity theft concerns the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Arizonans should be extremely cautious if anyone offers them a method to fast-track their place in line for a vaccine. The federal Department of Health and Human Services went so far as to issue a bulletin regarding vaccine scams. As these scams are brand new, there are numerous ways the scam could evolve. For now, it is best to be wary of any calls, text messages, emails, or door-to-door visits offering a vaccine for the coronavirus. It is important to remember that vaccines distributed by the United States government will be provided to individuals at no cost, so anyone trying to sell you a vaccine now is behaving fraudulently. The best resource for when a coronavirus vaccine may be available to you is a trusted doctor.