BEWARE OF SCAMS

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PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST SCAMS

In the face of the COVID-19 virus, Parkinson’s Resource Organization’s highest priority is to keep you emotionally and educationally supported and informed. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is on-duty to protect our citizens from fraudsters and criminals who seek to exploit this crisis for their profit.  

 

 

Please don’t fall victim to these frauds and crimes.  Some examples of COVID-19 scams include:

  • Treatment scams:  Scammers are offering to sell fake cures, vaccines, and advice on unproven treatments for COVID-19.
     

  • Supply scams:  Scammers are creating fake shops, websites, social media accounts, and email addresses claiming to sell medical supplies currently in high demand, such as surgical masks. When consumers attempt to purchase supplies through these channels, fraudsters pocket the money and never provide the promised supplies.
     

  • Provider scams: Scammers are also contacting people by phone and email, pretending to be doctors and hospitals that have treated a friend or relative for COVID-19, and demanding payment for that treatment.
     

  • Charity scams: Scammers are soliciting donations for individuals, groups, and areas affected by COVID-19. 
     

  • Phishing scams: Scammers posing as national and global health authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are sending phishing emails designed to trick recipients into downloading malware or providing personal identifying and financial information.
     

  • App scams: Scammers are also creating and manipulating mobile apps designed to track the spread of COVID-19 to insert malware that will compromise users’ devices and personal information. 
     

  • Investment scams: Scammers are offering online promotions on various platforms, including social media, claiming that the products or services of publicly traded companies can prevent, detect, or cure COVID-19, and that the stock of these companies will dramatically increase in value as a result. These promotions are often styled as “research reports,” make predictions of a specific “target price,” and relate to microcap stocks, or low-priced stocks issued by the smallest of companies with limited publicly available information.

 

GUARD YOUR MEDICARE CARD like it’s a credit card. Remember:

  • Medicare will never contact you for your Medicare Number or other personal information unless you’ve given them permission in advance.

  • Medicare will never call you to sell you anything.

  • You may get calls from people promising you things if you give them a Medicare Number. Don’t do it. 

  • Medicare will never visit you at your home.

  • Medicare can’t enroll you over the phone unless you called first.
     

FRAUDULENT COVID-19 PRODUCTS

These companies received warning letters from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) because they were selling fraudulent products that claim to treat or prevent COVID-19.

The following seven companies received letters:

  • Vital Silver

  • Quinessence Aromatherapy Ltd.

  • Xephyr, LLC doing business as N-Ergetics

  • GuruNanda, LLC

  • Vivify Holistic Clinic

  • Herbal Amy LLC

  • The Jim Bakker Show

 

Currently, no vaccines or medications are approved to treat or prevent COVID-19. If you have any questions, ask your health care provider.

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Address
Parkinson's Resource Organization
74785 Highway 111
Suite 208
Indian Wells, CA 92210

Local Phone
(760) 773-5628

Toll-Free Phone
(877) 775-4111

General Information
info@parkinsonsresource.org

 

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PRIVACY POLICY TEXT

 

Updated: August 16, 2017