Dec 18, 2024, 15:09 PM by Diane Rice

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Cumberland County Department of Public Health alerts residents of a text message scam currently circulating. The fraudulent message includes the Department of Public Health main phone number, 910-433-3600, and falsely claims to be from the department. The message alleges the recipient must report to the Department of Public Health and threatens arrest if they fail to appear.

The Cumberland County Department of Public Health will NEVER send text messages containing medical information.

The Department of Public Health aims to reassure the public by outlining the following policies:

• The Department of Public Health will never provide medical diagnoses or lab results via robocall or text message.
• The Department of Public Health will never share medical diagnoses or lab results without first verifying the identity of the patient or their guardian.
• Tellyourpartner.org is a legitimate service that provides anonymous notifications for those who may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and recommends testing. However, these messages will never threaten arrest. For a text example, visit Tellyourpartner.org.

Those who believe they have received one of these scam messages should contact the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or (910) 716-6000. Incidents can also be reported to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office at (910) 323-1500.

For more information about programs and services offered by the Cumberland County Department of Public Health, visit https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/publichealth.