Scam Alert: Beware of Swine Flu Come-Ons - AARP Bulletin Scams & Fraud
Beware of Swine Flu Come-Ons
Phony products misleading websites exploit fear
Scammers and spammers have gone hog-wild in their attempts to take advantage of fears related to the swine flu outbreak. In Indiana, residents have been getting telephone calls from people trying to sell them “mandatory swine flu kits.” The callers falsely claim to be from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Missouri, Attorney General Chris Koster says a ruse has emerged involving offers to sell protective devices such as paper masks—pitched as “pandemic respirators”—for hundreds of dollars. Elsewhere, officials warn about an epidemic of e-mails and websites touting expensive but worthless products to prevent or cure the disease, including a $199 “protection pack” that contains nothing more than soap, shampoo and body lotion. Within days of the first headlines, more than 250 new websites using the term “swine flu” were registered, according to the Better Business Bureau. Since then, F-Secure, which manufactures security software, has found at least . Expect even more. “Scammers read newspapers, watch TV and surf the Internet, and they know that by using a hook from the day’s top headlines, they’ll be able to catch lots of fish,” national BBB spokesman Steve Cox said in a prepared statement. Although most incoming e-mails direct users to pharmaceutical websites or pitch worthless products, some can unleash dangerous malware used for identity theft. A program that can steal passwords for online banking and credit card accounts has been found in messages containing a PDF file titled “Swine Flu FAQs.” McAfee Avert Labs, which also markets Internet security products, tells of spam coming from Brazil that claims to come from that country’s leading TV network and promises photos of “terminal” swine flu patients. But clicking on that link unleashes a program falsely claiming to be from a bank, seeking personal information including credit card account numbers. To inoculate yourself against swine flu scams: • Just delete any e-mails related to swine flu. It’s especially important to not click on embedded links, no matter how enticing. You can report the sender’s address to
[email protected] or. • Report flu-medicine claims to. There are only two drugs approved by the FDA for treatment of swine flu—the prescription medications Tamiflu and Relenza—and they should be taken only under the supervision of your doctor. So don’t believe any phone calls or websites promising “must-have” cures. • Regularly scan your computer—ideally, at least weekly—with up-to-date antivirus and antispyware software. If your computer becomes infected because of spam, you can report it to the . For accurate information and updates on swine flu, visit the websites of the FDA or the. Sid Kirchheimer is the author of“Scam-Proof Your Life,” published by AARP Books/Sterling. Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.