Coronavirus Scams Mount

Plus: Small Businesses a Target You are receiving this limited-time email resource as a subscriber to Kiplinger's free e-newsletters. We will continue to publish this daily throughout the height of the coronavirus outbreak. To unsubscribe at any time, simply click the link in the footer below. APRIL 23, 2020 [View in browser]( [Corona]( WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK Be on the lookout for scam text messages, emails and phone calls related to COVID-19, as they've proliferated in recent weeks. The Federal Trade Commission has reported more than 22,000 complaints from all 50 states related to coronavirus scams. Almost half of consumer complaints say they've lost money. SEE ALSO: [6 Scams that Prey on the Elderly]( One of the scams going around is a text message that tells recipient that they've come into contact with someone who has tested positive or shown symptoms for COVID-19. The message contains a website link that claims to provide information. Do not respond to the message or click on the bogus link. Other scams feature text messages and robocalls offering home testing kits, promoting bogus cures, selling health insurance and generally preying on virus-related fears. Some scammers impersonate government agencies. One hoax text message campaign claims to be from the "FCC Financial Care Center" and offers $30,000 in COVID-19 relief -- even though the Federal Communications Commission is providing no such relief to consumers. Another text scam impersonates the Department of Health and Human Services, telling recipients they must take a "mandatory online COVID-19 test" using a provided link. There is no online test for the coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization also have reported a proliferation in scam coronavirus-related email phishing expeditions. Other fraudulent actors are taking advantage of the economic and financial insecurity surrounding the pandemic, too. The FBI has warned that scammers have been sending text messages falsely promising money or financial rewards from bogus COVID-19 stimulus packages. Some of these particularly target small business owners. Small businesses and self-employed folks who have likely applied for PPP and EIDL loans from the Small Business Administration have been receiving scam emails supposedly from the SBA telling them they have been awarded funds and asking for their bank account information. Please check to see that the emails are actually from [sba.gov](. Free download, [The Kiplinger Letter's Forecast](. No information required from you. SPONSORED CONTENT FROM SMARTASSET [People Who Retire Comfortably Avoid Financial Advisor Mistakes]( [People Who Retire Comfortably Avoid Financial Advisor Mistakes]( Don't make the mistake of not properly vetting your options. This [free tool]( helps you compare fiduciary financial advisors in your area. [READ MORE]( RELATED LINKS [12 Ways COVID-19 Will Change the Tech Industry]( [7 Bank Stocks That Could Get a Lift From SBA Loans]( [Will You Have to Pay Back Any of Your Stimulus Check?]( [Things That May Soon Disappear Forever (The Pandemic Edition)]( [Is Unemployment Taxable? State-by-State Guide to Unemployment Benefits]( [Kiplinger] [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [Google+]( [Tumbler]( Send this to a friend. [Click here.]( All content ©2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors 1100 13th Street, NW, Suite 1000 Washington, D.C. 20005 Thank you for subscribing to Kiplinger's A Step Ahead, a free resource to help readers navigate special circumstances such as the coronavirus outbreak. If you ever wish to stop receiving this daily service, please [click here to unsubscribe.](