The Kearny Police Department is warning residents about a COVID-19-related email scam where people are asked to purchase gift cards that will be donated to health care workers.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“A potential victim received a ‘spoofed email’ that appeared to be from his boss directing him to purchase gift cards. The email stated that the gift cards would be donated to our brave healthcare workers who are currently fighting COVID-19,” the Kearny Police Department wrote on Facebook.
“Please be suspicious of anyone who requests gift cards even if an email appears to come from someone you know. It is VERY easy to ‘spoof’ email.”
They also shared a link to the Federal Trade Commission’s website to avoid being taken advantage of during this public health crisis.
The afternoon, the New Jersey Department of Health declared that there are 34,124 cases of the coronavirus in New Jersey, including 3,491 cases in Hudson County – along with 78 deaths, both the third most in the state by county.
As of Friday evening, there have been 144 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kearny and five fatalities.
