U.S. Attorney Drew H. Wrigley urges North Dakota residents to remain vigilant of fraud schemes and false information

U.S. Attorney Drew H. Wrigley of the District of North Dakota, announced today that the critical mission of the Justice Department is continuing during the COVID-19 crisis. 

“Beginning in the initial hours of alarm, my office rapidly transitioned to telework capabilities, and we remain committed to our role in ensuring the safety and security of the people of North Dakota during these challenging times,” said U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley. “All across America, as here in North Dakota, Justice Department representatives are maintaining cooperation and coordination with our local, state and tribal law enforcement partners to safeguard our communities, region and nation.” 

To protect public safety, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to charge and prosecute criminal cases, including national security matters, violent offenders, and all criminal conduct related to the current pandemic. There have been reports of individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud, reports of phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and reports of malware being inserted into mobile apps designed to track the spread of the virus. Any such criminal conduct occurring in the District of North Dakota will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address disasterleo [dot] gov. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working closely with the courts and United States Marshals Service to ensure that every appropriate precaution is being taken to ensure the health of those who are called before the court.