COVID-19 Information for Consumers

Coronavirus Scams  | Coronavirus Scams FAQ  | CARES Act | Animal and Pet Resources  | Food Safety Guidance  | Government Checks  | Information for Renters

Coronavirus Scams

Scammers are taking advantage of fears surrounding coronavirus. They’re setting up websites to sell bogus products, and using fake emails, texts and social media posts as a ruse to take your money and get your personal information. They are forging emails mentioning the outbreak that appear to be from business partners or public institutions to try to get users to open the messages, unleashing malware.

Avoid Becoming a Victim

• Learn how to tell the difference between a real contact tracer and a scammer. Legitimate tracers need health information, not money or personal financial information.
• Don’t respond to texts, emails or calls about checks from the government. Here’s what you need to know.
• Ignore offers for vaccinations and miracle treatments or cures. Scammers are selling products to treat or prevent COVID-19 without proof that they work.
• Be wary of ads for test kits. Many test kits being advertised have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and aren’t necessarily accurate. Almost all authorized home tests don’t provide rapid results and require you to send a test sample to a lab for analysis.
• Hang up on robocalls. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from low-priced health insurance to work-at-home schemes.
• Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or World Health Organization (WHO). Use sites like coronavirus.gov and usa.gov/coronavirus to get the latest information. And don’t click on links from sources you don’t know.
• Do your homework when it comes to donations. Never donate in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money. Use the Check-A-Charity tool at FloridaConsumerHelp.com to help you research charities.

Here are some common scams and tips to help you avoid them:

Reemployment Assistance Fraud

Tax season is well underway, and April 15 will be here before we know it. While most consumers look for their W-2 forms for wages and 1099 forms for non-wage income, some consumers may find themselves victims of identity theft in the form of reemployment assistance (RA) fraud, also known as unemployment benefits fraud. 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1099-G is most commonly used to report unemployment compensation, as well as any state or local income tax refunds an individual received in a given year. Unemployment compensation is generally taxable income. The Form 1099-G is generated by the government agency that paid those benefits, so the recipient of those benefits will know the amount that must be reported on their tax return.

What if you received a Form 1099-G but you neither applied for nor received unemployment compensation benefits? The rise in unemployment resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in RA fraud in 2020. The number of people who find out they were impacted by the fraud could rise even more as consumers begin submitting their tax forms. The IRS expects to see an increase in the number of taxpayers that contest their 1099-G forms claiming they did not receive any unreported income from government benefits.

What to Do:

Contact the state that issued the 1099-G: In Florida, consumers should contact the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). In an effort to provide support to individuals and employers alike, DEO has implemented an online form on its website, www.Floridajobs.org, to report identity theft for an individual or employees of a business, law enforcement agency, etc. This form also allows a consumer or employer to report RA fraud if someone they know is intentionally collecting RA benefits while working. The form is easily reached on DEO's homepage by selecting the Reemployment Assistance Resources box and then selecting “Report Fraud or Identity Theft” from the “Contact Us” box on the next page. Once you complete the form, you will receive a confirmation screen with your RA Case number. At that time, you will be provided additional steps on how to further protect your identity. DEO will handle the investigation into identity theft or RA fraud and will reach out if additional information is needed.

Notify your current employer: If you are presently working, notify your employer of the fraudulent claim, because they will also need to file documentation.

Vaccine Scams

The COVID-19 vaccine is becoming available to both healthcare workers and older adults. Scammers are using this availability to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. Consumers should beware of any offers to “get on the waiting list,” “get moved up on the list,” or “expedite delivery,” or any requests for payment or personal information to gain access to the vaccine in any way, as these are the some of the biggest scam concerns at this time. Offers involving any form of payment to gain access to a vaccine may lead to receipt of a fake vaccine.

What to Do: 

Seek information from trusted sources: When seeking vaccine information, consumers should turn to trusted sources like the CDC, the FDA, their local county health department office or their physician. Avoid unverified information shared on social media platforms.

Ignore solicitations: Do not respond to any solicitations about the vaccine, and do not give out personal information in response to unsolicited communications of any kind — calls, texts, emails, social media or door-to-door visits.

Report suspected fraud:  If you believe you have received a solicitation that is a scam, report it to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) immediately by filing a consumer complaint. Call FDACS at 1-800-HELP-FLA or 1-800-FL-AYUDA (for Spanish speakers) or file a complaint online at FloridaConsumerHelp.com.

Remember these key points to protect yourself:

• The FDA has only authorized two COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use so far: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
• Vaccines are not available for sale anywhere on the internet.
• No one from a vaccine distributor, health care company or private insurance company will ask for your Social Security number, personal credit card or bank account information.
• The vaccine is available in extremely limited quantities, so look to trusted sources like your doctor or local health department for guidance.
• You can’t pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine or to get into a clinical trial — anyone offering to ship a vaccine to your home or provide special access to clinical trials is scamming you.
• Doses purchased with taxpayer dollars will be provided at no cost; health care providers may charge an administration fee and have that fee reimbursed by insurance companies, and there are means of reimbursement for uninsured patients.

Contact your local health department for more in-depth information regarding COVID-19, testing, and the availability of vaccines in your area.

Fake Charities

When a major health event — like the coronavirus — happens, you might be looking for ways to help. Scammers use the same events to take advantage of your generosity. Some scammers use names that sound a lot like the names of real charities. This is one reason it pays to do some research before giving. Money lost to bogus charities means less donations to help those in need.

What to Do: Use the Check-A-Charity tool at FloridaConsumerHelp.com to help you research charities. When you give, pay safely by credit card — never by gift card or wire transfer.

Fake Emails, Texts and Phishing

Scammers use fake emails or texts to get you to share valuable personal information — like account numbers, Social Security numbers, or your login IDs and passwords. They use your information to steal your money, your identity or both. They also use phishing emails to get access to your computer or network. If you click on a link, they can install ransomware or other programs that can lock you out of your data. Scammers often use familiar company names or pretend to be someone you know. Here’s a real-world example of a scam where phishers pretend to be the WHO.

Other scammers have used real information to infect computers with malware. For example, malicious websites used the real Johns Hopkins University interactive dashboard of coronavirus infections and deaths to spread password-stealing malware.

What to Do: Protect your computer by keeping your software up to date and by using security software, your cell phone by setting software to update automatically, your accounts by using multi-factor authentication, and your data by backing it up .

QR Code Security Threats 

COVID-19 has sped the use of Quick Response (QR) codes, with an increasing number of businesses using QR codes for contactless encounters and transactions. However, hackers are aware of the rise, which could mean QR code security threats to consumers who use them. 

QR codes are digital barcodes often used for electronic tickets for travel or events, to view a restaurant’s menu, or to share product information at a retailer. They are a quick way to get people to websites, promotional codes and mobile payments.  

The convenience of QR codes comes with security risks too. According to a survey of consumers conducted by MobileIron, 71% of respondents could not tell the difference between a malicious QR code and a legitimate one. Also, more than 51% of respondents did not have mobile security on their devices (or did not know if they did) to provide QR code security in case of a QR code-related attack.  

Attackers can take advantage of people’s trust in QR codes by embedding malicious software into the digital cubes. MobileIron says they expect QR code attacks to increase in the near future. The attacks would steal data from mobile devices or lead to phishing websites that could harvest credentials and other personal information.  

Attacks can lead to many different actions that range from inconvenient to malicious. This includes risky texts, emails, initiating a phone call, or adding a contact listing.

What to Do: Be skeptical.  

• If you see what seems to be a QR code physically pasted on top of another, ask an employee. The restaurant or retailer may have just updated their QR code, but it could also be a sign of a malicious code. 
• Before scanning the QR code, check the website address of the code. Many phones will allow you to view the web address before you scan it. If you are unsure about the website, you can safely view the site by searching it by adding a “+” sign after the URL. You can also ask an employee about any suspicious website addresses. 
• Only scan codes from trusted entities when donating to a charity or shopping online because there is less risk. The same advice applies to QR codes. A trusted entity will be less likely to have a malicious QR code on a restaurant menu, plane ticket or promotional code. 

(Information on QR code security threats provided by Identity Theft Resource Center.)

Undelivered Goods

Online sellers claim they have in-demand products, like cleaning, household, and health and medical supplies. You place an order, but you never get your shipment. Anyone can set up shop online under almost any name — including scammers.

What to Do: Check out the seller by searching online for the person or company’s name, phone number and email address, plus words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” If everything checks out, pay by credit card and keep a record of your transaction. If you’re concerned about the pricing of products in your area, call 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832) en Español.

Work from Home

With many people being laid off or working from home thanks to the coronavirus, scammers are almost certain to have more than their usual share of recruits for work-at-home scams, specifically “money mules” — people who get roped into money laundering schemes under the pretense of a work-at-home job offer. After congratulating applicants on their new position, the scammers may ask the recruits to do some busy work, such as running bogus errands or acting as a secret shopper to verify prices of certain items. The new recruits are then asked to submit a written report of their activities. These types of menial tasks help the recruit feel useful and legitimate.

Eventually, the new employee will be asked to assist with some financial transactions. The employee may receive an electronic transfer directly into his account or receive a check with instructions to deposit it. The employee will be instructed to withdraw a portion of the deposited funds and purchase gift cards, money orders, or possibly even convert the funds to Bitcoin.

In some cases, the check the employee deposited into their own account will turn out to be fraudulent. In other cases, especially where an electronic transfer has taken place, the funds have been stolen from other hacked bank accounts and the employee is unknowingly helping to launder the stolen money.

What to Do:  Just say no and delete the email. If you receive a job solicitation via email that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Even if you can’t see the downside to you, someone else is likely getting ripped off, and many of these scams are tied to money-laundering schemes. In addition to being ripped off, the person being scammed may find themselves in hot water with local police and may be asked by their bank to pay back funds that were illegally transferred into their account.

Robocalls

Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from scam coronavirus treatments to work-at-home schemes.

What to Do: Hang up. Don’t press any numbers. The recording might say that pressing a number will let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, but it might lead to more robocalls instead.

Misinformation and Rumors

Scammers, and sometimes well-meaning people, share information that hasn’t been verified.

What to Do: Do some fact checking by contacting trusted sources before you pass on any messages and certainly before you pay someone or share your personal information. For information related to the coronavirus, visit  What the U.S. Government Is Doing. There you’ll find links to federal, state and local government agencies.

Coronavirus Scams FAQ

Select a question below to expand the answer.

More Information on Scams

Want more information on the latest scams? Sign up for the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer alerts. If you come across any suspicious claims, report them to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

CARES Act

In March 2020, U.S. lawmakers passed a $2 trillion stimulus bill called the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act. The provisions of this act were intended to blunt the impact of an economic downturn created by the coronavirus pandemic. Several key programs of the CARES Act were set to expire in December 2020 leaving many in potential financial jeopardy.

On December 27, 2020, an omnibus spending bill to fund the government was enacted. It included a $900 billion end-of-year coronavirus stimulus bill, which effectively extended many of the CARES Act’s provisions. The following are some of the highlights from the stimulus bill:

Direct Payments: $166 billion

Individuals making up to $75,000 per year and dependents 16 and under are eligible for $600 Economic Impact Payments (EIPs). Married couples who file jointly and earn up to $150,000 per year will receive $1,200. Distribution of these payments began within the week after the bill was signed into law. However, the legislation prohibited the IRS from disbursing stimulus payments after January 15, 2021. People who have not received their payment by then will have to claim it as a “recovery rebate” tax credit when they file their 2020 taxes.

Extra Unemployment Benefits: $120 billion

People receiving unemployment benefits at the time the stimulus bill was signed into law will be eligible for an additional $300 per week through March 14, 2021. This includes the self-employed, gig workers, and contract workers under an extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program is also extended so anyone who has exhausted benefits is now eligible for up to 50 weeks of combined state and PUA or PEUC benefits.

Small Business Relief: $325 billion

The bill provided $325 billion under the caption of small business relief.

• $284 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program through March 31, 2021, or until funds are exhausted.
• $20 billion for new Economic Injury Disaster Loan grants in low-income areas
• $3.5 billion for continued Small Business Administration (SBA) debt relief payments
• $2 billion for enhanced SBA lending
• $15 billion for live venues, independent movie theaters and cultural institutions

Community Development: $12 billion

Community Development Financial Institutions are private sector financial institutions that focus primarily on personal lending and business development in poorer local communities. Minority Depository Institutions are banks and credit unions that are either owned or directed primarily by African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans or Native Americans. These organizations will receive additional funding through a new Neighborhood Capital Investment program to help low-income and minority communities deal with the economic impact of COVID-19.

Vaccines: $69 billion

• $20 billion to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
• $9 billion to the CDC and individual states for vaccine distribution
• $3 billion to build up the Strategic National Stockpile's supplies of vaccine
• $22 billion direct aid to states for testing, tracing and COVID mitigation
• $4.5 billion in additional mental health funding
• $9 billion to support healthcare providers
• $1 billion in funding of National Institutes of Health research into COVID-19
• $1 billion in direct funds to the Indian Health Service

Schools: $82 billion

K-12 schools, colleges, and universities will receive funds to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

• $818.8 million for Bureau of Indian Education and outlying areas
• $4.05 billion for Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund for services to private K-12 schools
• $54.3 billion for the Elementary and Secondary (public K-12 schools) Emergency Relief Fund
• $22.7 billion to the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund

Rent Assistance: $25 billion

State and local governments will be responsible for distributing these funds to families impacted by COVID who struggle to pay rent and/or owe past-due rent payments. Approximately $800 million of these funds will be reserved for Native American housing entities. The bill also includes an extension of the CDC eviction moratorium through January 31, 2021.

Nutrition and Agriculture: $26 billion

• $13 billion for a 15% increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, emergency funds for school and daycare feeding programs, improvements in the Pandemic EBT program, additional funding for food banks and senior nutrition programs, including $614 million for nutrition assistance to Puerto Rico and other territories
• $13 billion for direct payments, purchases, and loans to farmers and ranchers who have suffered losses due to the pandemic and to support the food supply chain, purchase food, donate to food banks, and support local food systems

U.S. Postal Service: $10 billion

A CARES Act loan to the U.S. Postal Service will be converted to direct funding with no required repayment for the purpose of offsetting operational costs and expenses resulting from the pandemic.

Childcare: $10 billion

A Child Care and Development Block Grant will be used to provide childcare assistance to families and to help childcare providers cover increased operating costs.

Broadband: $7 billion

• $3.2 billion for low-income families to provide access to broadband internet through a Federal Communications Commission fund
• $1 billion for a tribal broadband fund
• $250 million for telehealth funding
• $65 million to complete broadband maps to aid in government disbursement of broadband funds
• $300 million for a broadband in rural areas grant program

Animal and Pet Resources

To help you prepare for the possible impact of COVID-19, Emergency Support Function (ESF) 17 and the State Agricultural Response Team (SART) recommend the following resources:  

• Animal Shelter Flyer [ ]
• ESF 17 Information Packet Regarding Animal Shelters, Mosquitoes and Food Safety[ ]
• FAQ Regarding COVID-19 and Animals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Frequently Asked Questions for Veterinarians and Pet Owners (American Veterinary Medical Association)
• Information for Horse Owners, and Guidelines for Veterinarians and Equine Practitioners
• Important COVID-19 Information for Animal Shelters (University of Florida Maddie’s Shelter Program)
• Protecting Yourself, Your Pets and the Community from COVID-19 (Florida Veterinary Medical Association)

For background and the most up-to-date information, please visit the CDC's Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage.

Food Safety Guidance for Consumers

Studies have shown that human coronaviruses can persist on inanimate surfaces like plastic, glass or metal for up to nine days. Therefore, the CDC and FDACS recommend the following food safety tips for consumers:

• Wash your hands often when cooking, including: before, during, and after preparing any food; after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs; before eating; after touching garbage; after wiping counters or cleaning surfaces with chemicals; after touching pets, pet food, or pet treats; and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
• Wash your hands even when wearing gloves, as contaminated gloves can spread germs to your hands when removing the gloves.
• Disinfect and dry commonly used surfaces such as countertops and cutting boards, as dampness can help remaining viruses survive and multiply.
• Use disposable cloths or paper towels when possible or wash reusable cloths at 140 degrees Fahrenheit after each use.

Consumers with questions about food safety practices can call the Division of Food Safety at (850) 245-5520 or email FoodSafety@FDACS.gov. Questions about other human health-related impacts of COVID-19 should be referred to the Florida Department of Health’s COVID-19 center at 1-866-779-6121 or COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

Government Checks

The IRS and the Treasury Department have delivered a second round of Economic Impact Payments as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 to millions of Americans who received the first round of payments in 2020. 

No action is required by eligible individuals to receive this second payment. The IRS reminds taxpayers that the payments are automatic, and they should not contact their financial institutions or the IRS with payment timing questions.

As with the first round of payments, most recipients will receive these payments by direct deposit. For Social Security and other beneficiaries who received the first round of payments via Direct Express, they will receive this second payment the same way. 

Scammers are aware of this and are hoping to cash in on yours. Here are some tips to help you avoid being scammed:

• Do not give anyone your personal information to “sign up” for your relief check. There is nothing to sign up for. Anyone calling to ask for your personal information, like your Social Security number, PayPal account or bank information is a scammer, plain and simple. Also, be on the lookout for email phishing scams, where scammers pretend to be from the government and ask for your information as part of the “sign-up” process for the checks.
• No one has early access to this money. Anyone that claims to have early access is a scammer.
• Only scammers will ask you to pay to receive this economic impact payment.

Generally, if you’re a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien, you may be eligible for $600 ($1,200  for a joint return), plus $600 for each qualifying child, if you (and your spouse if filing a joint return) aren’t a dependent of another taxpayer on a 2019 tax return, have a Social Security number valid for employment (see exception when married filing joint) and your adjusted gross income does not exceed:

• $150,000 if married and filing a joint return or if filing as a qualifying widow or widower;
• $112,500 if filing as head of household; or
• $75,000 for eligible individuals using any other filing status.

Your payment will be reduced by 5% of the amount by which your adjusted gross income exceeds the applicable threshold above.

Visit the IRS website for more information.

Information for Renters

Many renters are affected by the devastating impact of the coronavirus, or COVID-19. If you’ve lost your income due to the COVID-19 pandemic, paying rent could become difficult if not impossible.

Government agencies have been directed to extend a federal moratorium on evictions and a moratorium on foreclosures on federally guaranteed mortgages in response to the coronavirus pandemic until March 31, 2021. The CDC statement released January 20, 2021 ensuring the nationwide residential Evictions Order that provides federal eviction relief to persons who submit a valid Declaration to their landlord regarding their inability to pay rent will be extended to March 31, 2021. 

The federal departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban Development have been directed to extend foreclosure moratoriums for federally guaranteed mortgages and continuing applications for forbearance for federally guaranteed mortgages until March 31, 2021. 

To view more information, visit www.floridahousing.org.

To locate assistance through local nonprofits, the United Way maintains www.211.org. You can find assistance with rental payments, food and other resources by visiting www.211.org and entering your zip code in the search bar or by dialing 211 to speak to someone who can help.