As individuals, businesses, local governments and other organizations commit to social distancing measures, there are those who will seek to profit from the coronavirus pandemic. Circumstances are changing daily and the flow of information is constant, which makes it critical that you remain vigilant against various scams surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak.
Below are some examples of the types of scams you should be on the lookout for in this environment:
- Emails that appear to be from organizations such as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), or the WHO (World Health Organization). Scammers have crafted emails that appear to come from these sources, but they actually contain malicious phishing links or dangerous attachments.
- Emails that ask for charity donations for studies, doctors, or victims that have been affected by COVID-19. Scammers often create fake charity emails after global phenomena occur, like natural disasters or health scares like the coronavirus.
- Emails that claim to have a “new” or “updated” list of cases of coronavirus in your area. These emails could contain dangerous links and information designed to scare you into clicking on the link.
You can never be too cautious. Remember, never click on links or download attachments from an email that you were not expecting. If you do receive a suspicious email that appears to come from an official organization such as the WHO or CDC, report the email to the official organization through their websites.
If you are interested in donating to a charity, we advise you go directly to the charitable organization’s website to submit your payment. The safest way is to type the charity’s web address in your browser instead of clicking on any links in emails, or other messages.
Mat Payne is the Technology Director with Antares Group, Inc. He can be reached at mrp@antarescpas.com.
This communication is intended to provide general information on legislative COVID-19 relief measures as of the date of this communication and may reference information from reputable sources. Although our firm has made every reasonable effort to ensure that the information provided is accurate, we make no warranties, expressed or implied, on the information provided. As legislative efforts are still ongoing, we expect that there may be additional guidance and clarification from regulators that may modify some of the provisions in this communication. Some of those modifications may be significant. As such, be aware that this is not a comprehensive analysis of the subject matter covered and is not intended to provide specific recommendations to you or your business with respect to the matters addressed.