skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

MD Seniors Need to Guard Against Wave of COVID-19 Scams

play audio
Play

Friday, April 10, 2020   

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Con artists like to take advantage of people when a crisis strikes, so it's no surprise that scams are on the rise in the COVID-19 pandemic -- and vulnerable older Americans are particular targets.

One popular scam right now asks for payment for a vaccine or treatment for the coronavirus - and it may surface as a call, email or text message, according to Kathy Stokes, director of fraud protection at AARP.

She says seniors, who are most susceptible to the virus, also are the most likely to fall for scams.

"We all know that a vaccine is probably a pretty long way away," says Stokes. "But scammers are trying to get us as we're already anxious about this -- to believe that there's a cure down the path, or a vaccine to prevent it down the path."

She says people can protect themselves by learning more about the scams that are circulating. And if you think you've been ripped off, report it to the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a new law that's providing stimulus checks to more than 100 million Americans. Stokes points out that even before the bill was signed into law, scammers were already calling people, claiming to be from the federal government requesting bank account information so they can 'deposit' the check.

She warns that isn't how this government program is operating.

"Just know that the government is not going to call you for information so they can deposit it," says Stokes. "If you get someone saying that they can speed up the payment for you, that's an absolute scam. Just wait for the check."

She says as of April 1, the Federal Trade Commission had received more than 8,000 consumer complaints related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Victims have already reported losing almost $6 million.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021