JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With the world’s gaze fixed on the coronavirus, some scammers see it as an opportunity to steal people’s money and personal information.
These scams use phishing, a common tactic in which scammers impersonate others through email. In this case, they might be posing as the World Health Organization or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The goal? To exploit the fear and confusion surrounding the virus for their personal gain.
Take, for instance, this email uncovered by the cyber security firm Trustwave. Sure, it might look like a message from the CDC. In reality, it’s just a way for scammers to gain access to your device and data.
You’ll notice that the email contains an updated list of new cases in your city. But when the link is copied and pasted into a separate search bar, the website it supposedly goes to doesn’t actually exist.
Still, if you were to click on it, you might have just opened the door to a scam.
Want to avoid falling victim to these scams? The Federal Trade Commission recommends never clicking on links from sources you don’t know and also to avoid online offers for virus vaccinations.
Think about it this way: if there were a major medical breakthrough, would you be hearing about it for the first time in an email or online advertisement? In all likelihood, the answer is no.
Also, watch out for emails pretending to be from credible organizations such as the CDC. If you want the most accurate and up-to-date information on the coronavirus, go to the organization’s website directly.