Jarrod Heil
Cyber Safety Is Key During the Widespread COVID-19 Pandemic
During this time of social distancing, it is an unfortunate fact that there are some people out there trying to take advantage of the widespread fear and panic that has been created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cyber criminals are hard at work looking for ways to take advantage of all the extra time people are spending on their computers and smartphones.
Please protect yourself and be aware of the different types of scams that have surfaced:
- Vaccine and treatment scams. Scammers may advertise fake cures, vaccines and advice on unproven treatments for COVID-19.
- Shopping scams. Scammers may create fake stores, e-commerce websites, social media accounts, and email addresses claiming to sell medical supplies currently in high demand. Supplies might include things like hand sanitizer, toilet paper and surgical masks. Scammers will keep your money but never provide you with the merchandise.
- Medical scams. Scammers may call and email people pretending to be doctors and hospitals that have treated a friend or relative for COVID-19 and demand payment for treatment.
- Charity scams. Scammers sometimes ask for donations for people and groups affected by COVID-19.
- Phishing and Malware scams. During the COVID-19 crisis, phishing and malware scams may be used to gain access to your computer or to steal your credentials.
- o Malware is malicious software such as spyware, ransomware, or viruses that can gain access to your computer system without you knowing. Malware can be activated when you click on email attachments or install risky software.
- o When Phishing is used, bad actors send false communications from what appears to be a trustworthy source to try to convince you to share sensitive data such as passwords or credit card information.
- o For example, scammers may pose as national and global health authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and send phishing emails designed to trick you into downloading malware or providing your personal and financial information.
- App scams. Scammers may create mobile apps designed to track the spread of COVID-19 and insert malware into that app, which will compromise users’ devices and personal information.
- Investment scams. Scammers may offer online promotions on things like social media, claiming that products or services of publicly traded companies can prevent, detect, or cure COVID-19, causing the stock of these companies to dramatically increase in value as a result.
For more information, please visit:
Federal Trade Commission- Coronavirus Scams
COVID-19 Consumer Warnings and Safety Tips
Report COVID Fraud
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
The editorial content on Universal Property’s website is meant to be informational material and should not be considered legal advice.