CONNECTICUT, USA — U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and state officials met to announce their intent to investigate pandemic scams.
“We know they’re out there we hear from consumers,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal. “We are alerted by state officials like the ones represented here today.”
Senator Blumenthal, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection wanted to send out an alert about scams involving vaccines and price gouging for P-P-E and masks.
“We’ve been working with the Attorney General office as COVID schemes pop up all over the place,” said Arunan Arulampalam, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection.
Attorney General Tong said they have investigated more than 750 allegations of price gouging in connection with the Department of Consumer Protection.
A non-profit consumer advocacy organization that works to stop false marketing was also present. Shana Mueller, Director of Communication, Public Policy and Advocacy for Truth in Advertising (TINA) said the list of complaints they receive about marketing schemes taking advantage of the public and exploiting the pandemic is endless.
Mueller said they see “CBD sold to veterans as a coronavirus treatment, bleach promoted as a liquid cure-all, wellness centers targeting our first responders with IV vitamin drips to protect against COVID-19, Amazon and eBay sellers falsely claiming that their Personal Protective Equipment is FDA approved and scammers advertising PPE on social media who never deliver and then disappear without a trace.”
The senator said now is the right time to take action as scams rise as vaccines become more available. They have started to see scammers use robocalls, emails and text messaging.
“If you’re contacted and offered vaccines for payment, if you’re called and asked for personal information, if you’re offered shipments of vaccines, you should decline,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal.
He said they hope to strengthen the penalties, force a federal crackdown, making con-artist pay by putting money back into the pockets of people they cheated and they are planning to do this by the new legislation.
Officials emphasized no one should ask for social security card numbers, bank account information, or credit card information in order to receive a vaccine.
The public can help stop scams by calling the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or officials at
1-800-MEDICARE if you asked for payment for vaccines.