GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – Another scam is causing issues in Eastern Carolina, trying to take money out of your pocket during a trying time.

We’ve all been in similar situations, you get a phone call about your “extended car warranty,” “the IRS is trying to contact you,” or “you’ll be arrested if you don’t send a specific amount of money.”

But there’s a new scam going around.

It’s a phone call where a person claims that you’ve been in contact with someone who has the coronavirus and you need to send money.

But that isn’t real.

The Onslow County Health Department says they try to get on top of any scam information they see or hear so they can alert the public.

They say due to the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act, called HIPPA, the health department does have blocked numbers they call from, but don’t need your financial information.

The Pitt County Sheriff’s Office says they see scams all the time in our area.

Best thing to do if you receive this scam call is to call your health department to confirm its real.

The Onslow County Health Department says if you have been in close contact with someone who has the coronavirus, the health department will call you, ask a few questions and then set up a time to come in to the facility and get tested.

WITN also contacted a few other health departments in the area about the phone scam.

So far, Beaufort, Craven, Greene, Halifax, Pitt and Lenoir County Health Departments all say they haven’t been notified of similar scams but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to stay aware.

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