Beware of Corona Virus Scams
Scammers are notorious for capitalizing on fear, and the Corona Virus outbreak is no exception. Showing an appalling lack of the most basic morals, scammers have set up fake websites, bogus funding collections, and more. This is all in an effort to trick the fearful and unsuspecting out of their money as a result of Corona Virus scams.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published on its website a warning against email scams connected to the Corona Virus. The agency claims it has received reports from around the world about phishing attempts mentioning Corona Virus on an almost daily basis.
Closer to home, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning against a surge in Corona Virus scams in San Antonio and across the nation, which are being executed with surprising sophistication, so they may be difficult for even the keenest of eyes to spot.
The best weapons against these scams are awareness and education. When people know about circulating scams and how to identify them, they’re already several steps ahead of the scammers. Here’s all you need to know about Corona Virus scams.
How the Corona Virus scams play out
There are several Corona Virus scams in San Antonio and nationwide exploiting the fear and uncertainty surrounding the virus. Here are some of the most prevalent:
The fake funding scam
In this scam, victims receive bogus emails, text messages, or social media posts asking them to donate money to a research team that is supposedly on the verge of developing a drug to treat COVID-19. Others claim they are nearing a vaccine for immunizing the population against the virus. There have also been ads circulating on the internet with similar requests. Unfortunately, nearly all of these are fakes, and any money donated to these “funds” will help line the scammers’ pockets.
The bogus health agency
There is so much conflicting information on the Corona Virus that it’s really a no-brainer that scammers are exploiting the confusion. Scammers are creating and sending out alerts appearing to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the World Health Organization (WHO.) These emails sport the logo of the agencies that allegedly sent them, and the URL is similar to those of the agencies as well. Some scammers will even invent their own “health agency,” such as “The Health Department,” taking care to evoke authenticity with bogus contact information and logos.
Victims will believe that legitimate agencies sent these missives. While some of these emails and posts may actually provide useful information, they often also spread misinformation to promote fear-mongering, such as non-existent local diagnoses of the virus. Even worse, they infect the victims’ computers with malware that scrapes personal information off of the infected devices.
The phony purchase order
Scammers are hacking the computer systems at medical treatment centers and obtaining information about outstanding orders for face masks and other supplies. The scammers then send the buyer a phony purchase order listing the requested supplies and asking for payment. The employee at the treatment center wires payment directly into the scammer’s account. Unfortunately, they’ll have to pay the bill again when contacted by a legitimate supplier.
Preventing Corona Virus scams
Basic preventative measures can keep scammers from making you their next target.
As always, it’s important to keep the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer up to date. It’s also important to strengthen the security settings on all of your devices.
Practice responsible browsing when online. Never download an attachment from an unknown source or click on links embedded in an email or social media post from an unknown individual. Don’t share sensitive information online, either. If you’re unsure about a website’s authenticity, check the URL and look for the lock icon and the “s” after the “HTTP” indicating the site is secure.
Finally, it’s a good idea to stay updated on the latest news about the Coronavirus to avoid falling prey to misinformation. Also, check the actual CDC and WHO websites for the latest updates. You can donate funds toward research on these sites as well.
Spotting the scams
Scammers give themselves away when they ask for payment via specific means, including a wire transfer or prepaid gift card. You can also easily spot a scam by claims of urgency, such as “Act now!” Another giveaway is poor writing skills, including grammatical errors, awkward syntax, and misspelled words. In the Corona Virus scams, “Breaking information” alerts appearing to be from health agencies are another sign of a scam.
Keep yourself safe from the Corona Virus! Practice good hygiene habits and healthy internet usage to avoid these and other scams. Keep yourself in the know about the latest developments.
Your Turn: Have you been targeted by a San Antonio Corona Virus scam? Tell us about it in the comments.
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Sources:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/02/coronavirus-scammers-follow-headlines