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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!

Currently, three vaccines are approved for use in the United States – from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. These vaccines should be prescribed and administered by a medical professional at an approved facility.

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.

Be vigilant and aware of potential scams including:

  • 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.

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.

Be vigilant. Be thoughtful. Be skeptical. Don’t be a victim.

Read More
Domains of Danger
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Facebook Enables Advertisers to Exploit Coronavirus Fears
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Enabling (Maybe Validating) Shadowy Sellers of Medical Masks and Bogus Vaccines – Youtube
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Federal Officials Warn Against Growing Threat of COVID-19 Fraud
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Officials warn of scammers claiming to have COVID vaccines for sale
Read CBS News Article
The Cybersecurity 202: Internet domain names are ripe for scam during coronavirus crisis
Read Washington Post Article
Nearly 2,000 malicious COVID-19-themed domains created every day
Read TechRepublic Article
Covid-19 Vaccine Scams Spread Under Facebook and Telegram’s Watch
Read Wired News Article
Thousands of shady websites with ‘coronavirus’ or ‘covid’ in their domain have popped up since January — and it reflects how eagerly scammers are trying to cash in on the epidemic
Read Business Insider Article
Coronavirus Online Threats Going Viral, Part 1: Domain Names
Read CircleID Article
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: The FTC in Action
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Department of Justice Announces Disruption of Hundreds of Online COVID-19 Related Scams
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Studying How Cybercriminals Prey on the COVID-19 Pandemic
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COVID-19: Cloud Threat Landscape
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Phishing Domains Pushing COVID-19 Drugs, Preying On Innocent Consumers
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