After global phenomena, natural disasters or pandemics like COVID-19 occur, there is often an increase of opportunistic criminal activity on the internet.
Below are some of the types of scams you should be on the lookout for:
Mailicious websites – Websites with the purpose of infecting your device with malware. Watc out for sites such as coronavirus.com or corona-virus-map.com. Since January there have been thousands of websites registered containing the word ‘corona’ and many of those are suspicious. Some of these websites distribute malware.
Spam emails – Emails trying to grab your curiosity by using conspiracy themed catchphrases, such as “censored”, to try and sell information (paid-for videos) or goods that are now in high demand, such as masks, hand sanitisers or vitamins.
Phishing scams – Messages that appear to come from organisations such as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) or the WHO (World Health Organisation). The scammers have crafted emails that appear to come from these sources, but they actually contain malicious phishing links or dangerous attachments. There are also emails that claim to have a “new” or “updated” list of cases of Coronavirus in your area. These emails can contain dangerous links.
Fake charities – Emails and websites that ask for charity donations for studies, doctors, or victims that have been affected by the COVID-19 Coronavirus. Scammers often create fake charity emails after global disasters or pandemics like the COVID-19 outbreak.
Fake internal HR or IT communication – Emails such as coronavirus surveys impersonating your HR or IT department – the objective here is to steal your username and password. To access the ‘document’ or ‘survey’, the recipient has to provide their Office 365 credentials on a fake site – thus compromising their Office 365 account.
Remain Cautious! Protect yourself from scams like this:
- Never click on links or open attachments from an email that you weren’t expecting.
- If you receive a suspicious email that appears to come from an official organisation such as the WHO or the Department of Health, report the email to your security team to double check.
- If you want to make a charitable donation, go to the charity website of your choice to submit your payment. Type the charity’s web address in your browser instead of clicking on any links in emails or other messages.