Oakland County Warns Of COVID-19 Related Phone Scam

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — Oakland County residents may be targeted by scammers amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, county officials warned Monday.

The county said it is warning the community of a potential phone scam related to COVID-19 vaccine appointments, as people — particularly older adults — try to register for and schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments.

According to reports made to the county, the caller is asking questions in order to schedule a vaccine appointment, and then is asking for personal and financial information.

“Oakland County will never ask for any financial information including credit card or social security numbers,” Oakland County Health Officer Leigh-Anne Stafford said. “If you are unsure if it is a scam, avoid sharing any personal information over the phone, and report it to the authorities.”

Anyone concerned about a call can report them by calling the non-emergency phone number at their local police department or the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

The county also recommended people take several measures to avoid being victims of identity theft. Those measures include:

• Making a list of contact information for family members, close friends, health providers or anyone who might call regularly. This will help you know if the call is legitimate.
• Letting a call go to voicemail if you don't recognize a phone number. Scammers rarely leave messages.
• Hanging up if a stranger asks for personal or financial information. If you do answer the phone, it's OK to hang up.
• Remembering that government agencies will always identify themselves.
• Not sharing any personal information such as your social security number to anyone over the telephone.