There are quite a few scams going around in Bomb Town right now, one masquerading as internal security, another asks you for your overdue library fines and because we need bad news in threes for some reason, there is news coming in for your health and again the method is masquerading as a city agency to get your information.
The latest scam doesn’t come over the phone but through an old stand by … post mail … which if you want to look official, using paper with a letterhead adds a nice touch of class to your credibility because unlike phones with spoofed caller IDs and e-mail with garbage return addresses, Mail is a bit easier to spoof. Here’s what you should look for
Looks like it’s from Amarillo Public Health
The letters in question are reaching those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in the process of seeking contact with the city. The letters ask for all kinds of personal information, including social security numbers, payment information, and other identifying elements that are certainly unrelated to finding out who you’ve been in contact with. The city itself even states when it sends correspondence with those it works with, it is very specific on the forms it sends and will let you know what to expect. While names, addresses, and birthdays are a part of it, not everything about payment is legitimate. Amarillo Police even released a sample of the most legitimate letters you’d expect from town.
The other method used by the city is password protected email. In this case, the contact tracer or the public health official will give you a specific password for each communication.
A little common sense goes a long way, if you weren’t expecting something from the city, or if you haven’t been around someone dealing with COVID-19 who is in communication with the city, beware of the city. letter and of course you can always contact Amarillo Public Health to verify.
WATCH: Answers to 30 Common Questions About the COVID-19 Vaccine
READ MORE: Find out how some companies are changing their businesses to fight COVID-19
The abandoned St. Anthony Hospital on Amarillo Boulevard
The 119 year old abandoned hospital is a fascinating place for anyone lucky enough to have the chance to explore it.
The sprawling building saw thousands of Amarillo citizens inside its hallways on a daily basis, until it closed in 2001. But there are still incredible artifacts from the too recent past tucked away in the nooks and crannies of old St. Antoine.
The explorer who took these photographs gave the following information:
“Many pieces were left intact, we found patient charts, old prescriptions, a blood transfusion machine from the 60s and breast cancer microscopic slides from the 70s and 80s. I put a photo here some heart scans so you can see the dates and the patient’s diagnosis, but I marked the patient’s names of course. At a time when mental illness was not understood, 76 exorcisms have been documented as having been performed between 1909 and 1931. “
Take a peek inside the halls of the legendary abandoned St. Anthony’s Hospital
Comments are closed.