Rock Springs Police: Watch Out For Phony CDC Emails, Bogus PPE

The Rock Springs Police Department is warning people to watch out for '"phishing" schemes featuring phony emails from agencies like the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On its Facebook page, the agency warns that con artists will pretend to offer important information related to the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to get people to click on suspicious links that can install malware and steal personal information.

Another common scam these days is the online advertising of bogus Personal Protective Equipment [PPE], especially facemasks. The supposed equipment is generally either worthless or in many cases is never delivered at all.

The RSPD says the international police organization INTERPOL is reporting an increase in cybercrime, with many of the latest scams focusing on the fear of the coronavirus.

But some old favorites are still being used as well, including the ever-popular threatening calls from supposed angry IRS agents demanding instant payment of alleged back taxes.

The IRS never contacts people initially via telephone calls, and will not demand instant payments of alleged back taxes on green-dot debit cards or I-tune gift cards, as the scammers often ask for.

There is actually an administrative process used for the collection of legitimate tax debts.