WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg police officers are warning the public about a scheme trying to get people to buy a COVID-19 medication.
Police said the victims received an unsolicited email telling them they’ve been contaminated by the virus that causes COVID-19. The email then asks the person to give their credit card number in order to receive a shipment of a medication for the virus.
Officers said anyone who gets this email or any other form of communication, such as a phone call or text, should delete without responding or hang up the call.
Const. Rob Carver, with the Winnipeg Police Service, said to never provide your credit card number to an unsolicited call.
“You could theoretically if you’ve been travelling or in some sort of public environment be contacted, it’s probably not going to be by email, but if you’ve recently travelled the airline might use that venue to say ‘Hey, we’ve identified somebody who was on your flight.’ But there will be a different process then, nobody’s going to ask you for your credit card number,” he said.
Carver said the Winnipeg police haven’t received any complaints, but have heard rumours that this is out there.
“In this entire global crisis, no one asks for money. You’re going to be given direction of what to do, what not to do, giving some warnings. No one is calling and asking for your credit card number that’s legit,” he said.
