British Columbians warned of monkeypox scam calls by public health

Have you gotten a phone call lately informing you that you’ve been exposed to monkeypox?

Well, many people in BC have received alarming automated calls in recent days about their so-called positive diagnoses of viral infection, but officials are clearing up the concern.

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC) and several health authorities, including Vancouver Coastal Health, are alerting locals that this is a scam.

KAMLOOPS – WARNING – Automated call scam impersonating IH.
The call claims you have been exposed to monkeypox. Please disregard. IH does doesn’t use automated calls to notify people about exposure to an infectious disease, an IH nurse will call you directly.

— Interior Health (@Interior_Health) October 18, 2022

A statement from Provincial Health Services Authority and the BC CDC explains that there is no case in which public health will send an automated message to tell people they’ve been exposed or infected.

“After an individual has a positive test for a communicable disease, such as monkeypox, public health contacts individuals for follow-up and/or to identify people who may have been exposed to the communicable disease. This is known as case and contact tracing,” the statement reads.

Public health teams have received reports about automated scam calls relating to monkeypox test results or exposures.
⚠️Public health does not use automated messages to notify individuals of infections or possible exposures.

Please be alert. Learn more: https://t.co/wCZpeU69yP

— BC Centre for Disease Control (@CDCofBC) October 19, 2022

Most importantly, you will never be asked to provide financial information for test results and contact tracing.

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In most cases, test results and contact tracing are handled by public health staff in the regional health authorities and not the Ministry of Health.

Public health teams have received reports about automated scam calls relating to monkeypox test results or exposures.
⚠️Public health does not use automated messages to notify individuals of infections or possible exposures.

Please be alert. Learn more: https://t.co/wCZpeU69yP

— BC Centre for Disease Control (@CDCofBC) October 19, 2022

“Please be alert for cybercriminals sending fake phishing emails, texts and robocalls to steal your personal and financial details,” the Provincial Health Services Authority urged.