- Individuals and businesses advertising sales of in-demand supplies like masks or thermometers online, but never delivering the products promised.
- Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Malicious websites and apps that appear to share virus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
- Donation seekers for fraudulent fraudulent, llegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU CLICK!
If you landed on this page you could have been a “victim” of a scam by the Digital Citizens Alliance. Our mission is to raise awareness among consumers about the threats they face during this current public health crisis.
This was a false alarm, but next time you might not be so lucky!
Scammers are trying to take advantage of the fear and uncertainty surrounding Covid-19. People just like you are looking for ways to prevent or treat coronavirus, or purchase medical supplies and equipment. For online criminals, that is an opportunity.
New research from Palo Alto Networks identified 1.2 million newly registered domain names containing keywords related to the COVID-19 pandemic from March 9, 2020 to April 26, 2020. Among those, over 86,660 are classified as “risky” or “malicious” and can be used for such as phishing or malware delivery and ransomware.
Beyond domain names seeking to prey on consumers in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, other internet scams are increasing exponentially as well. Online crooks and con-artists seek to lure unwary victims by posing as government agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, and even friends or associates.
Government authorities and consumer groups have issued warnings.
Be vigilant and aware of potential scams including:
As of May 5, 2020, more than 36,000 coronavirus-related complaints have been received by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, totaling over $24 million in losses since the beginning of the year.