Full Notification

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our daily lives, scam text message campaigns and robocalls that prey on virus related fears have become more and more common.

Lancaster Sheriff's Station asks our residents to be aware of some of the most recent scams.

1. Scammers can use links in text messages to install codes on your phone or launch a phony webpage to collect personal, health insurance, or financial information for use in other scams.

2. COVID-19 text message scams offer cures, warnings about the need for a test, or “special offers.”

3. Some text scams are impersonating government agencies. A text scam claiming to be from the "FCC Financial Care Center" and offering $30,000 in COVID-19 relief has been generated. There is no FCC program to provide relief funds to consumers. The text is likely a phishing attempt to get banking or other personal information from its victims.

4. The Better Business Bureau is warning of a text message scam impersonating the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Recipients are told they must take a "mandatory online COVID-19 test" using a provided link.

5. Another government imposter text begins with "IRS COVID-19 News" and includes a link and instructions for recipients "to register/update your information in order to receive the economic impact payment regardless of your status." The link points to a website designed to look like the IRS's and requests identifying information, including date of birth, social security number and filing status. Ultimately, it requests a debit or credit card number to "verify your identity."

None of these webpages, links or sites are legitimate. All of these scams are an attempt at collecting personal, banking or health insurance information. At this time, the COVID-19 vaccine is free. Different insurance companies and organizations are offering the vaccine to front line personnel, first responders and elderly patients over 65 years old. At no time should you be paying for a vaccine. For the most current information you can check out the CDC’s webpage at https://www.cdc.gov/.

Be smart, be safe and we'll get through this together!

Lancaster Sheriff’s Station polices the City of Lancaster, Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, and the unincorporated communities of Antelope Acres, Lake Los Angeles, and Quartz Hill in the Antelope Valley.
 
Ali Villalobos
Lancaster Sheriff’s Station
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
501 W Lancaster Boulevard
Lancaster, CA 93534
Station (661) 948-8466
Desk (661) 524-2154
Website: http://www.Lancaster.lasd.org
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