Scammers prey on most vulnerable
Scammers are leveraging the COVID-19 pandemic to steal your money, your personal information, or both. Don’t let them.
Protect yourself and do your research before clicking on links purporting to provide information on the virus; donating to a charity online or through social media; contributing
to a crowdfunding campaign; purchasing products online; or giving up your personal information in order to receive money or other benefits.
FBI advises to be on the lookout for:
Fake CDC Emails. Watch out for emails claiming to be from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or other organizations claiming to
offer information on the virus. Do not click links or open attachments you
do not recognize. Fraudsters can use links in emails to deliver malware to
your computer to steal personal information or to lock your computer and
demand payment. Be wary of websites and apps claiming to track COVID-
19 cases worldwide. Criminals are using malicious websites to infect and
lock devices until payment is received.
Phishing Emails. Look out for phishing emails asking you to verify your
personal information in order to receive an economic stimulus check from
the government. While talk of economic stimulus checks has been in the
news cycle, government agencies are not sending unsolicited emails
seeking your private information in order to send you money.
Phishing emails may also claim to be related to:
- Charitable contributions
- General financial relief
- Airline carrier refunds
- Fake cures and vaccines
- Fake testing kits