Information provided by Camden County

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning regarding a text messaging scam involving supposed COVID-19 contact tracing, and Camden County residents are urged to exercise caution and not to click any links sent to them in a text message about contact tracing.

Scammers posing as government contact tracers have sent text messages to potential victims asking them to click a link sent in the text. Clicking on the link downloads software onto a victim’s phone that allows scammers access to personal and/or financial information.

Contract tracing – in which people who have been in contact with someone carrying the virus are warned and advised to quarantine – is an import tool in the effort by county and state health departments to assess and slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In legitimate circumstances, a person will get a text message from a state or county health department stating that a call will be coming from a specific number. The contact tracer will not ask for money or any personal information such as a Social Security or credit card number.

“In the midst of a public health crisis, it is unfortunate that we have to warn residents about something like this,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. “But because real contact tracing is so important to efforts to reduce the spread of this deadly virus, we want Camden County residents to be aware of how contact tracing really works and to not fall victim to scammers.”