Chilliwack seniors warned of COVID-19 contact tracing scam

CHILLIWACK (NEWS 1130) — As COVID-19 continues to spread, so do the scammers looking to profit off of uncertainty surrounding the virus.

The Chilliwack Seniors’ Resources Society is warning about a current phone scam that targets seniors and exploits their fears about contracting COVID-19.

“Just to let you know these phone calls are going round,” says the group’s Facebook post.

Fraudsters start the call with something along the lines of “Good morning, according to our system, you are likely to have been in close proximity to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. This means that you now need to self-isolate for 7 days and take a COVID-19 test.”

But they can’t provide you with any more information of where that may have happened, or who you may have come in contact with, says the seniors’ group.

Exploiting the urgency of the situation the scammers will push for a mailing address to send a COVID-19 test kit to, but only once you’ve handed over your credit card information for a $50 fee.

COVID-19 testing is free in B.C. and anyone working with the province on contact tracing will not be asking for your credit card number.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says fraudsters want to profit from consumers’ fears, uncertainties and misinformation and are exploiting the crisis to facilitate fraud and cyber crime.

The federal agency is operating at a reduced capacity and is asking people to report fraud and fraud attempts to local police and use the agency’s online reporting tool.

CAFC has an updated list of known and reported fraud on its website.