LANSING, Mich. – Scammers are taking advantage of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Michigan by pretending to be health departments offering medication and at-home testing.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reissued an urgent consumer alert to warn residents of the scam phone calls related to COVID-19.
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Nessel previously issued a warning about the scams in a consumer alert on March 19, but the phone calls are now reaching more residents.
Officials warned that scammers are pretending to call from Ionia County Health or Benzie Leelanau Public Health departments, promising medication to residents and asking for Medicaid or Medicare information for billing purposes. Scammers are also offering at-home COVID-19 tests.
Callers are then flooding the health department’s phone lines, delaying important responses to COVID-19, officials said.
The Benzie Leelanau Public Health Department has received numerous calls from residents in the 248 and 989 area codes asking about the calls, officials said. The department is in the 231 area code.
Officials say that anyone who receives a call that might be a scam should hang up and be sure not to give away any personal information.
“Scammers are still on a quest to take advantage of this public health crisis to gain access to your private information. As we continue to work together to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, I want to remind all Michiganders to stay on high alert for scam calls, emails and text or direct messages on social media,” Nessel said. “Do not hesitate to contact our Consumer Protection Team to report a scam, file a complaint, or get additional information.”
To report a scam, file a complaint online here or call 877-765-8388.
Read the latest public health information regarding COVID-19 from the state website here, or from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention here.