Deputies warn of contact tracing phone scammers

Jennings County Sheriff’s Department is warning about scammers pretending to be contact tracers for COVID-19.

Victims report receiving phone calls from scammers who claim to be with a health department or the CDC. Then they ask for personal information such as Social Security numbers or bank information. The Sheriff’s Department stresses that contact tracers will never need that sort of information.

If you receive a phone call, deputies suggest that you ask what agency the caller is with and then hang up. You can look up a direct number for the agency yourself, then call back directly.