COVID-19-related scams are spreading nearly as fast as COVID-19 and threatening the health and safety of our communities. Since January 2020, people across the country have filed over 426,000 COVID-19-related complaints to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about fraud, identify theft, and other consumer protection. They have reported losses totaling over $397 million. As trusted sources of health information in our communities, health care providers must recognize the important role they play in educating patients about COVID-19-related scams.
COVID-19 Scams Have Spread and Evolved
When COVID-19 first emerged, unsurprisingly, unscrupulous sellers and marketers took advantage of the fears and uncertainties surrounding the virus, offering products and services that claimed to diagnose, treat, or prevent COVID-19. At the beginning of the pandemic, we saw price-gouging or non-delivery scams of personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies. Then there were “immune-boosting” products, fake at-home test kits, and miracle treatments, just to name a few. As the pandemic evolved, so did these scams. Scams involving contact tracing, errand-helping, and antibody testing appeared. Currently, stimulus payments, bereavement, and vaccination scams are trending. And money is not the only thing these scams are after. Scammers are also stealing personal, financial, and health information of individuals. This information can later be used to commit identity theft and other health care fraud with high costs for affected individuals and our economy.
According to the FTC, while commonly reported types of COVID-19-related scams vary from state to state, the median reported loss is $337. However, true figures are likely significantly higher when we factor in undetected, unreported cases (just like the virus itself). Although older adults (aged 60 and older) are less likely than younger adults (aged 20 to 59) to report losing money to fraud, older adults report higher average dollar losses. People aged 80 and older report losing the most with a median loss of $900.
Older Adults Are at Increased Risk for COVID-19 Scams
The impact of the pandemic has been disproportionately borne by older adults in both community and long-term care settings. The COVID-19 pandemic creates social and psychological vulnerabilities that can increase the risks of scams and fraud. This occurs particularly in older adults who are encouraged, even mandated, to isolate and physically distance themselves from friends, families, and their circles of connection.
I currently serve as project coordinator at the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), a federally funded resource center dedicated to elder abuse prevention efforts. At the outset of the pandemic, the elder justice community knew that virus-related scams would come to life and flourish. The elder justice community also knew that sharing COVID-19 scams information to older adults would be a challenge. This is especially true for older adults who are physically, socially, technologically, and linguistically isolated.
Since March 2020, the NCEA has disseminated COVID-19 scam alerts via social media, professional networks, blogs, webinars, COVID-19 Tuesday Tips series, and media interviews to reach both public and professional audiences across the country. The NCEA also encouraged older adults to stay socially connected and turn to credible resources for reliable, up-to-date COVID-19 information. We did all of this to protect older adults from these harmful scams on top of the virus itself.
What Can Health Care Providers Do About COVID-19-related Scams?
Stay on top of common types of COVID-19 scams. This is true especially ones trending in your own community. Subscribe to FTC’s consumer alerts and get the latest updates delivered right to your email. The more providers know about trending scams, the easier it will be to protect patients through physical and virtual visits. Prevention is the best intervention. We can accomplish this through education (self-education and patient and family education), sharing this information with others, and vigilance. It is also important to be aware of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors [PDF] (e.g., specific behaviors, life experiences, knowledge attributes, etc.) that may increase one’s risk of scams and fraud.
Reimagine health promotion and health education to include information on scams. Providers can play a vital role in promoting the financial well-being and safety of patients and families. Offer the following tips [PDF] or display them in physical and virtual examination rooms, reception areas, websites, social media, and patient portals.
Promote personal hygiene and cyber hygiene practices. As a society, we have been spending a record-breaking amount of time online. This is also where a majority of COVID-19 scams are taking place. Health care providers can combat COVID-19 misinformation and spread awareness of scams through their own online communications. Utilize and share FTC’s sample posts, graphics, and videos on social media or include a scam tip in your e-mail signature. When you receive a media/ interview request, mention COVID-19 scams trending in your own community.
“Prescribe” consumer alerts. Research show that prior knowledge of scams helps decrease the chances of victimization. Encourage patients to stay abreast of the latest COVID-19 scams, how they work, and where turn to for help. Provide examples [PDF] of what to watch out for, just like “symptoms” of COVID itself.
Health Care Providers Have a Unique Role to Play
The impacts of COVID-19-related scams can be extensive, beyond just financial consequences. The varied and wide-reaching harms of scams [PDF] have high costs for affected individuals and society alike. Just as we are detecting new strains of the virus, COVID-19-related scams will continue to mutate and take new forms. As highly trusted sources of information, health care providers have a unique role in protecting their patients from COVID-19-related scams through their interactions with their patients, caregivers, and community as a whole.
Editor’s note: This post was one of the winners of our 2021 Student Blog Competition. Congrats, Kimmy!
Kimmy Moon
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