As cases of the omicron variant continue to surge in North Texas, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office is warning residents to be on the lookout for fake COVID-19 testing sites looking to steal personal information.
The DA’s office said fake pop-up testing sites are being reported across the country and that some of the scammers are asking for credit card and Social Security numbers, which should be a red flag.
“Be careful,” Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Sharen Wilson said. “Research the facilities before you go and make sure it’s a valid testing site.”
PROTECT YOURSELF
- Research the facility or testing site before you go. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has information at www.fda.gov.
- Talk to your doctor. He or she can help you find a legitimate testing site. When in doubt, go to sites affiliated with local hospitals or city or county government.
- Keep your personal information – Social Security numbers, credit card numbers – to yourself. Legitimate testing sites won’t ask for your Social Security number or a credit card number.
- Avoid unverified websites offering COVID-19 tests.
- Contact the Better Business Bureau to report a fraud or scam at www.bbb.org/scamtracker.
- NBCDFW is also keeping a list of testing sites on this page.
“Scarcity often leads to potential scams for a product that doesn’t exist, the compromise of personally identifiable information, or the increase of deceptive advertising,” the BBB warning states.
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Anyone caught fraudulently gathering personal information such as credit card or Social Security numbers faces a variety of charges.
If there are less than five items of personal information gathered, the offender faces a state jail felony which carries a jail term of up to two years and a fine of up to $10,000. If there are more than 50 items of personal information gathered, they face a first-degree felony that carries a prison term of five to 99 years and a fine of up to $10,000.
