Scam artists are already trying to cash in on the swine flu scare, the Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona cautioned Tuesday.
The scams are coming in spam e-mails urging those fearful of the deadly virus to follow a link or order from an online pharmacy.
Many of these pharmacies are fake, according to McAffee.com, a computer security company which posted the warning on its own site.
For those who don’t fall prey to the fear factor, another approach lures fans to the scam e-mails by falsely claiming that celebrities, such as Madonna, have contracted the virus.
“Be cautious of e-mails from unknown senders, and never click on links or open attachments,” said interim President Kim States. “Also, ask a trusted physician or pharmacist about proven treatments rather than responding to an unsolicited e-mail.”
States urged anyone who responded to one of these e-mails or purchased something billed as swine flu medication to call the BBB at 888-5353 or e-mail info@tucson.bbb.org.