THE SCAM:
COVID-19 cases are growing in L.A. County. You might get a phone call, text message or email from a “contact tracer” looking for information about a supposed COVID-19 case.
They say they are working to help fight the spread of COVID-19 and need important information including your social security number, money, financial information, or immigration status.
THE TRUTH:
Scammers are impersonating legitimate COVID-19 contact tracers. Their purpose is to profit from the current public health emergency and they try to trick you into giving private personal or financial information.
If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a contact tracer, remember the following:
- Be caution of suspicious emails, phone calls, and text messages.
- Never provide an individual claiming to be a contact tracer any personal information about your finances, social security number, or detailed health information.
- Contact your local health department to verify that the call or messages are valid
- Think before you click on any links
- Be aware of suspicious attachments.
Los Angeles County is doing legitimate contact tracing. But our trained public health specialists will never ask for a social security number, payment or documented status.
If you have a positive lab result for COVID-19, expect a public health specialist from L.A. County Public Health to contact you by phone to interview about possible exposures and to identify others who may have also been exposed to the infection. They will leave a call-back number if necessary. If they cannot reach you by phone, they will send a letter.
Please answer Public Health’s calls and call them back if they leave a message. The information is protected and cannot be shared with others except in emergency situations.