...BEAT THE SCAMMERS CORONAVIRUS FRAUD - HOW TO AVOID IT
Fraud can happen to anyone, including you. It comes in all shapes and sizes from fake emails to fake sites and is changing constantly.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said it took down more than 2,000 online coronavirus scams last month. It said this included 471 fake online shops selling fraudulent virus-related items.
Numerous other malware and phishing sites have been removed, as well as almost 900 advance-fee fraud schemes, where a large sum of money is promised in return for a one-off payment.
New online safety advice from the agency has been issued as part of a national awareness campaign.
EMAILS
NCSC has also launched an email reporting service, which the public can use to flag any suspicious activity.
“Criminals are seeking to exploit our greater use of emails, video conferencing and other technologies for their advan- tage,” said Minister for Security James Brokenshire. “It’s despicable that they are using the coronavirus outbreak as cover to try to scam and steal.”
The public is being advised to forward any suspicious emails to:
report@phishing.gov.uk.
An automated programme will test and block those determined to be suspicious.
Joe Tidy, cyber-security reporter for the BBC, explains:
These scams nearly always start with an email. The NCSC’s Suspicious Email Report- ing Service provides a way to report dodgy email messages. The problem is that recipi- ents often do not recognise them as such.
Many are well designed and hard to spot. Fake emails are in circulation that appear to be from the World Health Organisation (WHO). They are cleanly written, have all the correct logos and signatures, and even look like they have been sent from a WHO email address.
MAY 2020
It’s all fake, and victims who download the accompanying “advice document” may give hackers control of their finances.
BE SUSPICIOUS
If you get an email with a link, or attach- ment, such as a PDF that offers advice or a cure for the virus, it’s likely to be a scam.
What you need to know: • Don’t open emails if you don’t know who sent them
• Don’t reply to any email that looks odd, has a messy layout or spelling mistakes, even if you think you know who sent it
• Don’t click on any links or attachments unless you know they’re safe
• Before buying online do some research and check seller reviews
• Pay by card when shopping online
The NCSC has published advice on its website to help people avoid becoming the victim of a scam:
www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/suspicious- email-actions
PHISHING EXPLOSION
Scammers are sending 18 million hoax emails about Covid-19 to Gmail users every day, according to Google. The tech giant says the pandemic has led to an explosion of phishing attacks in which criminals try to trick users into revealing personal data.
The company said it was blocking more than 100 million phishing emails a day. Over the past week, almost a fifth were scam emails related to coronavirus. The virus may now be the biggest phishing topic ever, tech firms say.
Cyber-criminals are also attempting to capitalise on government support pack-
ages by imitating public institutions. Scammers have been sending fake emails and text messages claiming to be from the UK government and WHO.
"The coronavirus pandemic is a highly emo- tional topic and cyber-criminals are hoping that the typical person might be more inclined to click through links or follow bad instructions if they use this lure." said inde- pendent security researcher Scott Helme.
WEBSITES / APPS
Researchers have also found malicious websites and smartphone applications based on genuine coronavirus resources.
One malicious Android app claims to help track the spread of the virus, but instead infects the phone with ransomware and demands payment to restore the device.
Online marketplaces are also being utilised to sell goods such as face masks and hand sanitisers that don’t exist.
BANKS
Remember your money is safe in your account. Your bank will NEVER call, text or email and ask you to move your money to another account, or ask for your banking details.
Scam texts If a text asks you to make a payment or for your banking details, it’s a scam. You should never reply to a text that asks you to do this. And only open a link or attach- ment if you’re sure a text is real. Scam texts can pretend to be from your bank or other companies you trust. If you want to check that a text is real, call the sender on a number you trust, not one from a text.
Scam calls
Scam calls can sound professional. Just because someone knows your details and calls on a number that looks like your bank’s, it doesn’t mean they’re genuine. Fraudsters can pose as your bank or other organisations. Genuine callers would never ask you to move money to another account. If you’re unsure, just hang up.
THE MESSAGE IS: FOLLOW THIS ADVICE AND PROTECT YOURSELF!!
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