KILGORE, Texas — The Kilgore Police Department is warning residents of a scam that claims to offer financial assistance to those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Police say the scammers are impersonating local authorities via email and states that you are eligible to receive financial aid.
In the email, it will direct you to click a link for more information. If you click the link, you are taken to a phony government website. The site asks for personally identifiable information, including your social security number.
Once you’ve provided this information, the site claims that you will be contacted regarding your aid.
However, that is not true. Anything you enter is sent directly to the cybercriminals.
Kilgore police have provided tips to help stay safe from scammers:
- Never click on a link in an email that you weren’t expecting. Even if the sender appears to be a legitimate organization, the email address could be spoofed.
- Stay up-to-date on response efforts through official government websites and trusted news sources.
- If you feel the email could be legitimate, use another means of communication to reach out to the sender, such as calling their official phone number—not the one listed in the suspicious email.
