By Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – The Better Business Bureau is warning of a fresh spike in scams and rip-offs in the wake of the
coronavirus pandemic.
BBB Chicago president Steve Bernas says recent reports of scams and misinformation
have been off the charts.
“I’d normally say I’ve been there, done that,” Bernas said. “But in my 32-year career, I’ve
never seen so many scams coming out of the woodwork in all sorts of industries.
Normally if it’s a disaster, it’s the construction industry or if it’s financial, it’s the loan
industry. This is affecting everyone.”
A range of new scams have surfaced, including phony messages about money from
the government, fake discounts on certain services, and miracle cures for COVID-19, the
disease caused by the new coronavirus.
“The Better Business Bureau classifies as this is an infodemic,” Bernas said. “There’s so
much information out there. Some of it’s fake, some of it’s true, some of it is scammy. It’s
up to you, as a consumer, to decide what is true and what’s not true.”
The economic fallout of measures taken to help stem the rise of coronavirus cases could
open the door for more problems.
“Because some people have lost their jobs or are very concerned about losing their jobs
or may need money, they’re going to go online and look for ways to obtain money,”
Bernas said. “And unfortunately, scammers know that. They take out keywords and they
have these fake websites.”
In fact, scams already have been reported regarding possible stimulus checks from the
government.
“My daughter and her friends have been receiving emails already saying, ‘Click on this
link to get your $1,000 check delivered,’” Bernas said. “That’s a deep concern to the BBB
because last time there were stimulus checks that were given out, the scammers came out
of the woodwork.”
There’s also a lot of false information flying around about test kits and so-called cures
available to the public.
“There is no cure yet and there are no test kits available for public purchase online,”
Bernas said. “I think the scammers know that and they try to use this concern to scare
people and they prey on people when they’re scared.”
Bernas advises never to click on a link in a text message or email from a source you don’t
know. He also warns against ever paying fees and charges upfront for any arrangement
for loans or assistance money.
The Better Business Bureau asks people to report all potential scams to bbb.org.
“We just can’t keep up with these scams right now,” Bernas said. “There’s so many of
them, we’re relying on the public to reach out to the Better Business Bureaus across
North America.”
Illinois Radio Network can be reached at [email protected].
