A new Coronavirus (COVID-19) Anti-Fraud Coalition is bringing together top federal and state resources in the First State.
The coalition is aimed at better protecting Delaware residents from criminal and civil fraud connected to the pandemic.
“Basically the coalition is a sort of formalization of an existing working relationship we already had in place. But this will add enhanced structure to that relationship,” said United States Attorney David Weiss.
Weiss explains how the new group will operate.
“Basically what it will do is - there are a number of federal and state agencies that are working in the COVID-19 anti-fraud areas. So we’re going to use this structure to centralize the intake process so that we make sure that any complaints, whether they be civil or criminal, get to the right agencies.”
Weiss says common scams and frauds include scammers calling people pretending to be government officials, offering false economic impact payments in order to obtain your personal information, including social security number and bank account information.
Weiss says other current scams peddle fake COVID-19 testing kits or fake or unproven treatment regimens that are extremely dangerous because they have the potential to do more harm than good.
Delawareans who think they have been scammed can reach out to the Attorney General’s consumer protection hotline at 800-220-5424.
Weiss says scammers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Numerous state agencies are participating in the Coalition, including the Delaware Department of Justice (DOJ), Delaware’s Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), Delaware’s Department of Education (DOE) and State Police (DSP).
