Ken Harris's Shadow World Puppets: Fraudulent COVID-19 Treatments/Elderly Stimulus Checks

Shadow Puppets by Ken Harris

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Coronavirus Treatment Scams

The Federal Trade Commission is not playing around. 120 companies in the U.S were issued warning letters to cease marketing products and services with claims of preventing, treating, and curing COVID-19.

From receipt of this order, these companies were given a deadline of no more than 48 hours to rectify their positions and to notify the FTC of these corrections.

You can learn about these companies from the FTC website right https://www.ftc.gov/coronavirus/enforcement/warning-letters.

Considering the high stakes on the lives of consumers this is a very serious thing.

Naturally people want life to return back to normal. When we hear on the news each day of researchers looking at potential avenues to prevent, treat and cure this disease, its seem like the public outcry for a quick resolution leads to a web of ill conceived assumptions.

This burning desire plays in the hands of fraudsters chasing headlines to make promises of a service or product in high demand. That's how they line their pockets and leaves victims hopeless and despair over the experience.

It reminds me of get rich quick schemes where the victim is eager to believe anything blurted out by a scammer to reap the huge benefits. Instead of cashing in, the unsuspecting target is drained of positive anticipation and left feeling disgusted and remorseful.

As of this writing, please understand there is no U.S authorize products or services available to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19. If there was, you certainly wouldn't hear about if for the first time in an email or phone pitch.

The FTC believes that some of these Fraudsters in business receiving warnings will not go down quietly. It is suspected they will continue to market their age products and services under a new name or different website. That is why the FTC is exploring for these activities on social media and online marketplaces.

In the meantime, our health is important. Lets be careful with what we purchase for medicines. We can always verify claims with FTC at https://www.ftc.gov/coronavirus/enforcement/warning-letters or at the U.S Food and Drug Administration at https://www.fda.gov.

A self made puppet by Ken Harris. Scammers can mask their true ambitions.

FAKE COVID ANTIBODY TESTS

While we are on the subject of the US Food and Drug administration, beware of robocalls and features directing you to a website boasting of quick antibody tests.

Fraudsters want your money and personal information.

Victims who fell for this scam either received a phony worthless kit (results weren't accurate for those who's bodies had already fought off the virus) or didn't receive anything at all in the mail.

The best thing to do is talk to your doctor about an antibody test and learn if your insurance provider covers it. Both of those sources can refer you to a licensed clinic. Your local health department is also another sound way to get accurate information.

The Better Business Bureau should be your to go place for BBB Accreditation and reviews at https://www.bbb.org. In this world we should be researching diligently the people and companies we are considering to do business with.

Elderly Stimulus Checks

Alex Midas, former business owner who lost everything to a scam

Here is a heart breaker.

According to Lois Greisman, the FTC Elder Justice Coordinator, nursing homes and assisted living facilities in states across the U.S have attempted to snare stimulus payments from elderly residents.

Reportedly, great efforts were made in having these dependent occupants sign over their economic impact payments.

Unbelievable.

Yes, these individuals are on Medicaid and participants in a federal benefits program. But the CARES Act considers the impact payments a tax credit. Therefore, federal law prohibits the government from taking this money.

It cannot and must not happen. That explains why many state attorney general offices nationwide are looking into these matters with the Federal Trade Commission.

If you or someone you care about resides in a nursing home or assisted living facility with Medicaid, know and understand this. Legally this money cannot be taken and applied as a resource for whatever program you or your loved one are in. Check out Congressional Research Service at https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IN/IN11282?

fbclid=IwAR1qG1VwPIVi_8643ex8Fj5FR2pgsflEaf1jVRkDsFdN0H9fYWgE5Ce5ic4.

If you suspected you been siphoned out of this the economic impact payment, contact your state Attorney General's Office and the Federal Trade Commission to get the money back!

More Scam Tracking Tools

I get excited overtime I learn about new scam tracking tools. The International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) just unveiled a new online tool to sort and render customer's complaints about scams across the globe.

Here, anyone anywhere can learn about financial losses and reports submitted to this vast network. It consist of written allegations by foreign consumers against U.S. businesses along with allegations of fraud by U.S customers against foreign companies.

Online shopping, tech support scams, romance scams, advance fees/credit arrangers, and prizes/sweepstakes/lotteries topped the list of world wide scams in 2019.

If you have an issue with a business in the U.S, you can visit ftc.gov/complaint or if the business is overseas, you can file your report at econsumer.gov.

Technology is as good as we can make it. Let's use it to spread for learning and spreading cyber security awareness and scam prevention.