FTC says consumers have already lost millions in coronavirus scams

Since the beginning of the year, consumers have lost $4.77 million to coronavirus-related scams, the Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday, with a median loss of $598.

In a post, the FTC said that it's seen a surge in complaints surrounding coronavirus scams. These scams range from travel and vacation refund and cancellation deceptions to mobile texting scams and to scammers posing as the government. They total more than 7,800 complaints. 

The new coronavirus is a type of virus that leads to the respiratory disease COVID-19. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic in March. As of Wednesday, the coronavirus has infected more than 877,000 people and claimed more than 43,000 lives worldwide.