Overview of this week's lesson:

In this week's lesson, we will look at a history of scams and conspiracy theories, and will then look at the ways that technology has enabled them to spread.  This is especially dangerous in light of current conditions with Coronavirus.  There is lots of information out there.  We will look at what is right, and what has not been proven.  Although there remain many mysteries surrounding this pandemic, it is important to separate the fact from the speculation.  This lesson is interactive.  Take advantage of the many links available.  

Click here to download a copy of the lesson.

Trusted sources at this point (discussed in lesson):

·         CDC site (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus) 

·         World Health Organization site (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019).  

·         USA government sites. (https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus and https://www.coronavirus.gov/)  

·         FDA Consumer health fraud scams https://www.fda.gov/consumers/health-fraud-scams/fraudulent-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-products

·         WHO list of myth-busters: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters

·         Are you a victim of Coronavirus Fraud, or do you have some evidence of price gorging and hoarding?  Visit the DOJ website for resources on dealing with this:  https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus

More scams and conspiracy theories:

Everyday, another scam or phishing attempt related to this Coronavirus is mentioned.  We will try to keep track of them on this webpage.   Send in any that you have received or heard about.  Knowing about them are key to avoiding becoming a victim!

In this lesson, we look at some of the scams and conspiracies that have been seen since the Coronavirus emerged.   We will learn more about how this misinformation spreads, and what we can do to combat false information.  In this case, the false information can not only be misleading, it can be deadly.  Read on…

To begin with scams and conspiracy theories are not new.  In fact, evolutionary psychologist Mark van Vugt and Jan-Willem van Prooijen discussed their history in their paper entitled “Conspiracy Theories: Evolved Functions and Psychological Mechanisms” where they suggest that they are evolutionary, either as a psychological mechanism for adjusting to threats or to detect dangerous coalitions. (Prooijen, 2018) They suggest that people have a mental system to detect conspiracies where hostile coalitions were a cause of misery, death and loss.  While these conspiracies may have been real and a result of competing tribes, we have retained our interest in conspiracy theories. 

We will look closer at Conspiracy Theories in recent times, but a quick overview will be fun.  The New York Magazine had a list of the top theories of the last 50 years.  Take a walk down memory lane as we revisit some of them.  Of course, the ultimate conspiracy theory is that they are all connected.  Of course!

Scams have also been around for some time.  Some have dubbed the 1800s as the Golden Age of schemes, where a “confidence man” or “con man” worked in a world with slower communication, were swindlers could move from town to town practicing small cons within a given region without being caught. For a history of scams in the 1800s, you can read an interesting article on NPR on Scams in the 1800s.

Of course scams exist today as well.  Fueled by cell phones, email, websites and more, they are prevalent reminders of our human vulnerability.  Here is the government's summary of many different types of scams.  You can never be too cautious! 

A 2018 Pew report found that 2/3 of Americans were getting their news from social media.  Of course, this can be good if the news is diverse.  It can also help spread the news more quickly.  But the problem with social media is that it is not vetted, investigated or confirmed before it is spread.  This leads to a swarth of misinformation and rumors. 

Twitter can be a very useful tool for up to date information about emerging topics.  But it can also be a source of misinformation, amplifying rumors by sharing, cross-promoting on sites like Facebook while neglecting to fact check or pay diligence.  

There were conspiracy theories on Twitter in 2015-2016 in response to the Zika virus which suggested among other things a coverup by governments and the pharmaceutical industry.  They seemed to place the blame on things like vaccines, pesticides and genetically modified sterile mosquitoes, all of which were actually used to fight Zika.  In this case, these were not only rumors but harmful misinformation.  

Dr. Michael Wood looked at these tweets and determined how they spread.  (Wood D. M., 2018).  His results included a word cloud of the most frequent words across the tweets and retweets regarding the Zika virus conspiracy theories and another on the spread of this misinformation via Twitter. (See below)

The take home message is that social media can be a blessing or a curse.  In this case, we will learn that for something as specific and dynamic as Coronavirus, knowing the source and identifying the reputable sources are key to limiting the spread of misinformation.

The Internet is a hotbed of conspiracy theories.  Wikipedia has a dynamic list, in categories such as death and disappearances, economics, espionage, UFOs, Government, science and more.   Click here to take a look at the various conspiracy theories.  

Below, we are listing some of the conspiracy theories related to the Coronavirus.  Remember these are conspiracy theories and have been debunked as untrue.  For a discussion of the theories, refer to the Rolling  Stones article.    (Dickson, 2020)

·         The government introduced the coronavirus in 2018, and Bill Gates is involved.  

·         There is a vaccine or cure for coronavirus that the government won’t release

·         The virus originated by Chinese eating bats.  

·         The virus is no worse than the common cold.

·         Hand dryers can kill the coronavirus

·         Coronavirus is a bioweapon engineered by either the Chinese government or the CIA to wage war on America or China

·         The virus was predicted in a 1981 novel by Dean Koontz called The Eyes of Darkness

·         The virus was predicted by the Simpsons

·         A special bleach product can cure coronavirus

·         The President will institute a mandatory two-week lockdown, and urges people to stock up on supplies

·         If you can’t hold your breath for 10 seconds without coughing, then you have the coronavirus.  Or, if you drink water every 15 minutes you can flush the coronavirus down your throat.

·         Vitamin C can help ward off coronavirus

·         Coronavirus will go away by summertime

FEMA has stepped in to debunk (or otherwise explain) some of the rumors going on about Coronavirus.  You can view this online.  Here are some of the highlights from their rumor page which debunk some rumors:

·         Although there will be financial assistance to those who qualify, it will not be sent via phone call, text or email.  Also, do not respond to any text or email which offers financial help.

·         There are no vaccines or drugs yet available.  The FDA has set up a site which lists these claims and warns that they are not only ineffective but may be harmful.  These include those products made with Colloidal silver and CBD.  

·         Callers offering a free COVID-19 test if you provide Medicare information is a SCAM.  Only your doctor can advise you on tests available.

·         The military is NOT being deployed on a federal level.  Some states may be deploying the National Guard.

·         Stocking up on food and supplies is NOT necessary, and leads to shortages.  

Scams are also on the rise.  Some which have made the news in recent days include: (Fedschun, 2020) (Frazier, 2020)

·         The claim of an offer of “goodies” from Costco, saying it is part of their stimulus package for loyal customers 

·         Emails claiming to be from the CDC offering information about the virus

·         Websites that claim to track the disease but actually want to steal personal information and money

·         Emails asking people to verify their personal information to receive a check from the government

·         Robocalls from fake sites like the Social Security Administration, Medicare and small business assistance

·         Fake charities (remember to verify charities through Charity Navigator, CharityWatch and the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance)

The FTC is concerned about scams, and have offered some valuable tips on avoiding the scams.  They include:

·         Hanging up on robocalls.  Don’t press any numbers to either let you speak to an operator or remove you from the call list, as these can spark more robocalls.

·         Ignore online offers for vaccinations and home test kits.  There are no FDA authorized home test kits available at this time.

·         Fact check your information. 

·         Know who you are buying from.  Online sellers may claim to have in-demand products (such as cleaning, household and medical) when they really don’t have these products.

·         Do not respond to texts and emails about those checks from the government.  

·         Don’t click on links from sources you don’t know.  This includes emails and texts.  

·         Check your sources when donating through charities or crowdfunding.  Beware of donations in cash, gift card or wiring money.

While holed up in your home, why not keep track of all those requests for information, weird links and more by playing Scam Bingo.  First one to get a Bingo wins.  

So where to go for the truth?  Stick with those sites which are vetted and backed by science and experts.  These are official sites and contain the most up to date information:

·         CDC site (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus) 

·         World Health Organization site (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019).  

·         USA government sites. (https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus and https://www.coronavirus.gov/)  

·         FDA Consumer health fraud scams https://www.fda.gov/consumers/health-fraud-scams/fraudulent-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-products

·         WHO list of myth-busters: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters

·         Are you a victim of Coronavirus Fraud, or do you have some evidence of price gorging and hoarding?  Visit the DOJ website for resources on dealing with this:  https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus

Facebook, twitter and texts.  What do they have in common?  They are all ways to spread alternative theories and scams. What if you encounter someone who is convinced of a scam or conspiracy theory?  Here are some ways to combat them and stop the misinformation. (Robertson, 2019)

·         Stop the red flags:  Misinformation will have certain characteristics which make it appealing.  The information may be designed to make you angry, or vote a certain way, or just scam you.  If something grabs your attention, look closer.  

o   Look for whether there is a strong emotional reaction, or if it is totally ridiculous (or if it completely confirms your beliefs), if it requires that you spend money, or it contains something you want to publish right then.

o   If so, look at the source.  Reliable sources include a legal filing, first hand interviews with names included, leaked documents or a press release.

·         Check out the link:  Find the original story if you can.  If on Facebook, click on the post and look at the date (also known as a timestamp).  Also see if you can find the original source.  A bad source may include an inflammatory quote without saying where it originated or a photo with a description that may not be related.  Identify the source of photos, videos and quotes, and make sure that the date relates to today.  Sometimes people will repost older stories as if they happened today.

·         Find the context where the information appeared.  The story may be partly right, but out of proportion or can begin with legitimate news and then contain the bad information.  In some cases, the source can be satire or a very biased source.  The  Media Bias Chart was created by the organization ad fontes media, which is Latin for "to the source".  This site uses analytics to continually review the news sites for accurate and unbiased reporting.   It is a very revealing look at how we get our information.  There is also an interactive version.  (See below for the print version)

·         Weigh the evidence:  Identify how the story works, which parts are complicated, which are accurate, and if this article should change your opinions or behavior.  See if important facts are left out or distorted, of some reasons why you would share the story.   See image below for a quick view of How to Spot Fake News.

In these days, it can be dangerous and potentially deadly to believe disreputable sources and rumors.  Stick to the facts, and resist spreading unfounded rumors and ideas.  Understanding the background of information can go far to having a clear picture of the truth.

Dickson, E. (2020, March 18). Coronavirus Is Spreading — And So Are the Hoaxes and Conspiracy Theories Around It. Retrieved from Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/coronavirus-china-bat-patent-conspiracy-theory-942416/

Fedschun, T. (2020, April 1). Coronavirus scams include Costco 'stimulus check' ploy, FBI warns. Retrieved from foxnews.com: https://www.foxnews.com/us/coronavirus-scams-costco-stimulus-check-fbi-warning

Frazier, L. (2020, March 29). The FTC Warns The Public About New Coronavirus Scams. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizfrazierpeck/2020/03/29/the-ftc-warns-the-public-about-new-coronavirus-scams/#1d0d468637dc

Prooijen, J. a. (2018, November 1). Conspiracy Theories: Evolved Functions and Psychological Mechanisms. Sage Journals, 770 - 788. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745691618774270

Robertson, A. (2019, December 3). How to fight lies, tricks,and chaos online. Retrieved from theverge.com: https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/3/20980741/fake-news-facebook-twitter-misinformation-lies-fact-check-how-to-internet-guide

Wood, D. M. (2018, December 06). How Does Misinformation Spread Online? Retrieved from psychologytoday.com: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/web-mistrust/201812/how-does-misinformation-spread-online

Wood, D. M. (2018, August 1). Propagating and Debunking Conspiracy Theories on Twitter During the 2015–2016 Zika Virus Outbreak. Retrieved from liebertpub.com: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/cyber.2017.0669