The Arkansas Department of Health is warning about two recent scams where individuals posed as officials to try and extract payment from victims.
1.
In one case, a caller purporting to be a contact tracer directed a person to quarantine and said they needed to provide a credit card to get a letter of release.
“Legitimate case investigators and contact tracers affiliated with the Department of Health will never ask for payment or request any credit card or bank account information,” said Dr. José R. Romero, Secretary of Health. “Case investigators and contact tracers have one goal—to keep you and others safe and healthy.”
While ADH case investigators may call from different phone numbers, contact tracers will generally use (877) 272-6819 or (833) 283-2019. If you want to verify that you have been contacted by a Health Department case investigator or contact tracer, you may call (800) 803-7847.
If you believe you have been contacted by a scammer posing as an official, you can report these calls to the Attorney General’s office online at www.ArkansasAG.gov, by emailing [email protected] or by calling (800) 482-8982. Please note the time of the call and the number it came from when you report it.
“Inspectors from the Arkansas Department of Health will never demand on-the-spot payments for inspections, citations or contact tracing,” said Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “In difficult times we often see bad actors trying to take advantage of hardworking Arkansans, and I urge anyone experiencing a fraudulent contact tracer or immediate payment over the phone to call my office and let us do the fighting for you.”
2.
In a separate scam reported recently, someone fraudulently claimed to be an inspector and then demanded payment from at least one Pulaski County eatery.
Legitimate ADH inspectors carry identification with the agency logo and will always be willing to provide it when asked. ADH inspectors will also never ask for money.
The business owner reported that the scammer claimed to be a health inspector on two occasions recently. In both visits, the scammer surveyed the business and then demanded payments for inspection fees.
ADH requested that the business report the crime to police and to alert authorities if the fake inspector returns.
The Department of Health also conducts inspections involving cosmetology services, plumbing, natural gas, and other areas. In any inspection, the same standard applies: an ADH inspector can provide identification and will not request payment.
Any other business that believes it may have been victimized should call police and also notify the Department of Health.
If a business has questions about an inspection or a payment request, the Environmental Health Protection program can be reached during normal business hours at (501) 661-2171.
Stan Landers says
Does anyone feel that contact tracing is wrong and this is a scam to destroy the country. Mask wearing is not natural and It does not work. Watching children wear masks is sad. People all over the world will continue to suffer because of this overreaction to this health problem. Many will starve and many will commit suicide for lost jobs and can’t feed their family. Old people and disabled cannot have visitors. People cannot have funerals. We cannot vote safely at polls supposedly. We cannot go to church as usual. We have to stand up and have faith in God. Contact tracing is the beginning of taking all your God given rights away. Stop this nonsense and stop wearing masks. This is fear driven and not Holy. The hypocrisy is ludicrous.
Evans Caple says
Shelli, I was caught off guard a couple of weeks ago. Received a call supposely from Entergy, man called himself Derrick. Said they had not received any payment from me since May and they had a truck dispatched to be at my house that afternoon to cut off my electricity, unless I paid for all the months right now. I said that could not be, beause I pay by check and they had all gone thru. He said there was no record and I must pay now or be cut off. I said , well < I am on limited income and could not pay right. He replied "you can't pay? I said , "no, I am not able to, you will just have to cut it off". His reply, " well, good luck to you mam'. As I am 85 yrs old, I bet there are some Sr citizens that are falling for this and need to be warned. I checked my bill called that number , had them check my account, it was all paid up. Shame on Derrick, if that was his name.
Shelli Poole says
That’s awful. I’m glad you didn’t fall for it, but I bet he found some people who did.
For anyone reading this and wondering what to do in that situation, please know that any reputable company will allow a customer to hang up and call the publicly listed phone number for customer service to ask whether it was a legitimate call.