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BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) – Boulder County Public Health is warning residents about a scam involving callers who say they are conducting contact tracing for COVID-19.

Residents are told they need to get tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours, the scammer asks for a credit card number for the test.

“We are disheartened to hear that this health crisis is being used to take advantage of people. The purpose of contact tracing calls is to understand how COVID-19 is impacting the community and to try to find out how people have been exposed so that we can prevent the spread to others,” said Carol Helwig, Boulder County Public Health’s communicable disease program coordinator.

Here’s what legitimate disease investigators will ask residents who have tested positive for COVID-19:

  • Who they have had contact with while infectious
  • What their symptoms have been
  • If they need support
  • Demographic details, such as race/ethnicity

Residents who may have come in close contact with a person who has tested positive will never be asked for payment of any kind, a social security number, proof of residency or require testing without discussing the individual’s exposures first.

Boulder County Public Health staff does provide guidance about quarantine and testing.

Contact the Boulder County District Attorney’s Community Protection Division at 303-441-3700 to report anyone saying they are a contact tracer and asks for financial or personal non-health-related information.