The FBI and the Federal Trade Commission
are increasing efforts to crack down
on an explosion of scams related
to the coronavirus outbreak.
The rise in scams have come in the form of email
phishing campaigns, fraudulent goods
and disinformation campaigns,
according to a report from a cyber security company.
Now joining on Zoom is
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
So Sheriff, we've got people out there as they always do
when people are at their most vulnerable,
they're desperate, they're looking for answers
and they're preying upon them.
What advice can you tell people just generally
to protect them from these scammers?
Well, there's a special place
in hell for people like this.
And for people to be on the lookout for them,
just be aware, government does not work on sending emails.
We don't work with unsolicited knocking at your door,
unsolicited phone calls.
If it's unsolicited, red flag has to go up immediately.
If you have a doubt about it,
call your local law enforcement agency
and say, "Hey I had this person at my door.
"Can you help me verify who they are?"
Most important is to never, never,
ever let them inside your home.
Don't let them distract you,
'cause a lot of times they work in pairs,
one person at the front door,
the other person's at the back door going inside your house
and cleaning you out while you're talking
to the guy at the front of the house.
One of them now is the Southern California Edison Scam,
they're knocking on the door and saying,
"We're here to disconnect you for nonpayment,
"So you gotta pay us $100 now or $200 now."
And people are falling for this.
They're giving them cash on the front door.
And they don't work that way.
Southern California Edison doesn't show up
and knock on the door and demand cash, correct?
Correct, every transaction they do is via mail
and you can go online to your account
with Southern California Edison, for example.
That's the only ways bills are settled.
There's nothing ever collected in person
for any of the utilities.
Right.
And for more information about these possible scams,
you can go to www.consumer.ftc.gov
and we'll put that up on our website
so you can find it and the tips from the FCC say,
don't click on links from sources you don't know
and watch for emails claiming to be
from the CDC and Prevention
or experts saying they have some kind of cure for the virus,
Because we don't have a cure.
We don't have vaccinations.
And they're offering you vaccines, pills,
potions, lotions, lozenges or prescriptions
for over the counter things that are gonna protect you.
Those things just don't exist.
So don't fall for that.
They're just absolutely not there.
Do your homework and as the Sheriff says,
Pick up the phone, if somebody's on your front porch
and call 'cause you guys will come and run them off, right?
We will do exactly that.
In fact, they'll be gone before we get there usually,
'cause they know we're coming.
And a big flag is they were asking
for these gift cards and cash.
Either of those two things create flags, right?
Yes, correct, we only do business via check,
account to account online
through the website of the utility.
That's the only way transactions are done.
Right, now Sheriff, I can't tell you
how much I appreciate your time here today.
Is there any final message
that you really want people to know and hear.
For me, I've listened to this stay at home message,
shelter at home message and I take this very seriously.
I'm following every guideline.
I'm adhering to social distancing, self-isolation.
I'm not doing anything that's not essential
and I'm resisting congregating with other people
and trying to flatten this curve out.
And I want to be a good example for that.
I'm trying to do all of that.
Is there any other message
that you want people to hear from you?
Because you're a powerful leader in this community,
so I'd like them to hear any message from you.
Well, first I want to thank you Dr. Phil,
for the message you're doing.
That is a public service announcement,
that is the best thing possible we can do
and I agree with you, my Instagram is @LACoSheriff
and then #flattenthecurve, exactly that.
We're all in this together and the more we work together,
to keeping the distance, we're gonna minimize the spread.
Eventually the virus is gonna die out
when they run out of hosts.
That's the entire idea of flattening that curve.
So the more we work together,
the reward is, the entire time,
the number of lives affected is gonna be minimized.
So let's get this together.