Fraudsters don’t have a guilty conscience when they use the pandemic to rob people who don’t want to.
Don’t just look out for yourself, but warn your friends and vulnerable family members about scams.
In Section 2020, the FBI warned that criminals were trying to mislead the public with the COWID 19 pandemic.
Fraudsters can arrive by any means – face to face at the front door, phone calls or text messages – but it is even easier for fraudsters to target a wider group of victims by making first contact via email or social media.
And now that more people than ever trust the Internet to stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues, the risk of being swindled is greater than ever.
And what could be better than exploiting a man’s interest in the coronavirus? Or an emotional call to pull the strings to help those who turned their lives upside down because of the pandemic?
Already in April 2020, the UK’s National Computer Security Centre (NCSC) reported that it had eliminated more than 2000 cases of Internet fraud related to the coronavirus pandemic in just one month.
These statistics include hundreds of fake online stores selling masks, hand sanitizers, and other counterfeit goods. In addition, 555 malicious websites linked to the Coronavirus were discovered that spread malware, and 200 phishing sites attempted to steal passwords, payment card details and other personal information.
And more often than not, there are more than 800 cases of advance payment fraud, which are deemed to generate a significant flow when payment for the Facility is made.
Here is an example of a Covid 19 charity fraud, first discovered by Liviu Arsene of Bitdefender earlier this year:
Part of the letter is readable:
Help accelerate the provision of life-saving health care for families and children in China, neighbouring countries and beyond. Their station ensures that these vulnerable people receive urgently needed coronavirus vaccines for health care.
The email also asks you to pay Bitcoin to contribute to this noble cause.
There is a simple way to help you and your loved ones recognize the signs of possible fraud: perform a simple SCAM test:
S – sounds too good to be true.
C – contacted from nowhere.
A – personal information requested.
M- You need money.
Honestly, I’m not afraid you’ll fall for one of the coronavirus charity scammers. You’ve read the Hot for Security blog, so you’re already much safer than an average internet user.
But you may have vulnerable friends and family members who have been tricked by a crook into giving money or personal information in the belief that they are doing or intend to do right.
Learn to their advantage the fraud techniques used by the fraudsters and help them identify the threats they face.
Because the sick thugs themselves have no doubt that they can exploit the weakest and benefit from the biggest global health crisis in our lives.
For more tips on how to protect yourself against fraud and charity fraud, please contact the FBI.
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