Fake COVID-19 alert threatens a fee for leaving your house
Are you stir-crazy yet? If so, we get it — nearly six months of lockdowns can make anyone frustrated. And even though plenty of essential businesses are still open (and more nonessential ones re-opening every day), it can be tiring to find that your favorite hangouts like sports bars and the mall are closed after all this time.
But no matter how hard we try, we can’t rely on delivery for everything. Sometimes, the items we want just aren’t available on Amazon. But as long as you have a mask on your face, most businesses will let you in without any issue. Tap or click here to see the best face masks ranked.
Despite lockdown restrictions, state and local authorities have been relatively lax about enforcing mandates like stay-at-home orders and mask-wearing. But if you receive a message out of the blue that says you’ve been fined by the government for leaving your home, don’t panic. It’s a scam — and a really flimsy one at that. Here’s why.
Is Big Brother really watching you leave your house?
People across the country have reported receiving a strange email claiming to come from the federal government. The message will say that you have been “recorded” leaving your home and that you have incurred financial penalties for breaking quarantine rules.
Here’s a quick snippet of what the message looks like from The Verge, which also randomly received the same warning with the subject line CORONAVIRUS ALERT:
If you take the bait and click on the link to pay your fine, you’ll end up on a scam website that will not only take your payment but record your card information.
If you couldn’t tell, this message is pure nonsense. The government doesn’t have security cameras outside your home that could catch you leaving — and even then, any enforcement of lockdown rules would be left to the states themselves.
Related: Tap or click here to see why this COVID-19 vaccine alert is a scam.
Want to spot the scam? Just hover your mouse over the link. You’ll find that it doesn’t even lead to the website the text shows. Instead, it goes to su.onamoc.comano.us. We don’t recommend visiting there if you want to protect your data.
If you’re looking for real information on testing, statewide restrictions for travel and more, just visit the CDC’s official COVID-19 homepage for up-to-date news and data.
The reason Amazon wants you to shop less (yes, really)
Of all the essential businesses still open during COVID-19, Amazon is the reigning king. With so many people indoors nowadays to protect themselves, online shopping has become the preferred option for stocking up on supplies. It makes sense when you consider how easily the novel coronavirus can spread.
Coronavirus closures: What stores are open and how can you place online orders?
Spring is traditionally a season for shopping. It’s filled with clearance events and heavy foot traffic for retailers. But the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything, and shopping is no exception.
Many stores have since closed their doors to shoppers, with only grocery stores and pharmacies open as essential businesses in some states. Tap or click to see the safest way to shop for groceries during the outbreak.