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Virginia attorney general warns of coronavirus cons

Attorney General Mark Herring is warning the public of scams related to COVID-19.

NORFOLK, Va. — As countries race to find a vaccine for the coronavirus, criminals see COVID-19 as an opportunity to make a quick buck.

"It doesn't matter what age or income bracket you are, you can be a victim and fall prey to one of these scams. So it's important for all of us to be on the lookout," said Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.

Herring explained scammers have started to work on some schemes.

"Right now we're monitoring very closely if there are any scams related to charities or people to claim to raise money to help patients who really aren't doing that," said Herring.

Herring mentioned other schemes are out there like fake messages or emails claiming to be from the CDC. Another is false advertisements to buy big at the stock exchange.

"Offering investment opportunities, claiming that the stocks of certain companies are going to go way up as a result of certain products that might be helpful in a crisis or seem helpful in a crisis," said Herring.

Some crooks are even creating fake charities claiming to raise money for coronavirus victims. Herring advises people not to click on suspicious links as they might expose you to a computer virus or identity theft.

If you need to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office, click here.

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