Contact tracers have been working seemingly around the clock these past few months getting in touch with people who may have come in contact with someone infected with the novel coronavirus.
Due to the uptick in cases locally and statewide, scammers may be posing as health department employees trying to take advantage of the situation. Riley County Health Department Director Julie Gibbs explains what to watch out for.
“Some people have been calling saying that they want more information from individuals such as social security number or date of birth. Our contact tracers will never ask for that information,” she said.
If you suspect a scam, Gibbs advises you hang up and call the health department to verify if the person is in fact a contact tracer.
“What our contact tracers are doing is gathering more information about you, whether you’re symptomatic or not, where you’ve gone in the community if you have tested positive, things like that,” she said.
So far there have been few, if any, reports of scammers targeting residents in Riley or Pottawatomie County.
The Riley County Health Department’s phone number is 785-776-4779. The health department screening line is 785-323-6400.
