North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem is cautioning North Dakotans to be on the lookout for scam artists taking advantage of the current Coronavirus emergency to find new victims.

The Consumer Protection division warns that other states have already seen scams using the Coronavirus, including a report of a scam involving a supposed automatic credit or bank charge for a Coronavirus test kit which can only be cancelled and refunded if the unsuspecting victim will “verify” their account information and mailing address.

“We see a surge in scams after every natural disaster, large and small, so it doesn’t surprise me that scam artists would try using this global pandemic in their efforts to prey on potential victims,” said Stenehjem in the press release. “A healthy dose of skepticism will help stop the scam artists in their tracks.”

Stenehjem advises people to watch for “phishing” emails – especially ones that appear to come from legitimate government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control, especially if the email encourages you to click on a link for more information. Such emails should be deleted without a response. He said people should ignore phone calls, emails, advertising or mail items offering a miracle cure for, or protection against, Coronavirus. At present there is no vaccine or cure. He also advises that people should not be fooled by calls or text messages claiming that you are required to pay for testing or to provide personal response to the Coronavirus. These are all scams. he said people should also beware of unauthorized or fraudulent charities or solicitations. Do not donate any funds without doing your homework. Check the Secretary of State’s website at sos.nd.gov to confirm if the entity is registered and contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-472-2600 or by email at ndag@nd.gov if you suspect fraud.