Scammers are exploiting coronavirus fears for profit

Scammers are notorious for capitalizing on fear. 在冠状病毒爆发期间, fraudsters are showing an appalling lack of morals by setting up fake websites, bogus funding collections and more in an effort to trick the fearful out of their money.

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning against email scams connected to COVID-19, claiming it has received global reports of phishing attempts mentioning coronavirus on an almost daily basis.

离家更近, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning against a surge in coronavirus scams, which are being executed with surprising sophistication.

As with most scams, the best weapons against these traps are awareness and education. When people know about circulating scams and how to identify them, they’re already several steps ahead of the scammers.

There are several scams exploiting the fear and uncertainty surrounding the virus. 以下是一些最常见的:

1. 虚假融资骗局

在这个骗局中, 受害者收到虚假电子邮件, text messages or social media ads asking them to donate money to a research team that is supposedly on the verge of developing a drug to treat COVID-19. They may claim they're nearing a vaccine for immunizing the population against the virus. 不幸的是, 几乎所有这些都是赝品, and any money donated to these “funds” will go straight to the scammers’ pockets.

2. 假冒的卫生机构

There is so much conflicting information on the coronavirus — breeding the kind of chaotic atmosphere con-artists thrive in. Scammers are sending emails that look like they're from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While some of these emails and posts may actually provide useful information, they also spread misinformation to promote fearmongering. 更糟糕的是, they infect the victims’ computers with malware which is then used to scrape personal information off the infected devices.

3. 虚假的采购订单

在这个骗局中, hackers break into computer systems at medical treatment centers and obtain information about outstanding orders for face masks and other supplies. From there, the scammer sends buyers a phony purchase order asking for payment. The employee at the treatment center wires payment directly into the scammer’s account. 不幸的是, they’ll have to pay the bill again when contacted by the legitimate supplier.

How to avoid falling victim to a coronavirus scam.

Basic measures can prevent scammers from making you their next target.

一如既往地, it’s important to keep the anti-malware and antivirus software on your computer up to date, and to strengthen the security settings on all of your devices.

当你上网的时候，练习负责任的浏览. Never download an attachment from an unknown source or click on links embedded in an email or social media post from an unknown individual. Don’t share sensitive information online, either. If you’re unsure about a website’s authenticity, check the URL and look for the lock icon and the “s” after the “http” indicating the site is secure.

最后, it’s a good idea to stay updated on the latest news about the spread to avoid being misled by fake news. Check the actual CDC and WHO websites for the latest 更新. You can donate funds toward research on these sites as well.

如何发现骗局.

Scammers give themselves away when they ask for payment via specific means, 包括电汇或预付礼品卡. Scams are also easily spotted by claims of urgency like “act now!另一个危险信号是糟糕的写作技巧, 包括语法错误, 语法笨拙，单词拼写错误. 在冠状病毒骗局中, “breaking information” alerts appearing to be from health agencies are another sign of a scam.

You can keep yourself safe from the coronavirus by practicing good hygiene habits and avoid coronavirus scams by practicing healthy internet usage. Keep yourself in the know about the latest developments.

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