HOW TO AVOID COVID-19 ONLINE SCAMS
As with any major crisis, criminals are just waiting to take advantage of a bad situation and the Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is no different. Anytime something of this magnitude happens it brings out both the best and worst in people. There are those who are moved to help and assist in any way they can and then there are those who are moved to add to the chaos and profit off of others. Several law enforcement agencies and the FBI have been warning people about several phishing scams and are urging caution when opening emails related to the Corona virus. These emails may appear to be official emails originating from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO).
In conjunction with the email phishing scams, there are reports of many new, malicious sites posing as legitimate ones believed to be used to either steal personal information or spread malware. In fact, according to reputed cyber security sources, there have been over 4,000 corona virus-related sites registered globally. From these sites, 3% were found to be malicious and an additional 5% are suspicious. Corona virus related domains are 50% more likely to be malicious than other domains registered in the same timeframe.
In addition to malicious websites and phishing emails, there are also reports of charity and fake Coronavirus treatment scams. With this in mind, we want to make sure you have the information and tips to stay safe online during this time:
- Go to official sources for updates on the Corona virus. We recommend you visit the official BC Center for Disease Control and Prevention (BC CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for up-to-date information on the outbreak. Be wary of websites and maps of the spread of disease when searching or googling the pandemic.
- Unfortunately, the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) does not have a vaccine or cure. Be particularly wary of emails of this nature.
- Research any charities before donating money or providing personal information. There are already reports of fake charities claiming to need money to find a cure or help victims.
- Particularly at the moment, watch out for fake CDC and WHO email phishing attempts. Do not click on attachments or hyperlinks from an email you were not expecting or cannot verify the sender. Poor grammar, hyperlinks that do not match the real URL, spelling mistakes, odd attachments, threats, no logo or wrong logo, or an extreme sense of urgency are signs of phishing.
- Remember that criminals will try and appeal to your emotions during this pandemic, especially fear and panic. Slow down when making decisions and don’t be pressured into doing anything in haste- whether that is visiting a website, clicking a link, opening an attachment, giving to a charity, or trying to browse through un-approved treatments.
