FRAUD ALERT: COVID-19 and Phishing Scams During This Holiday Season
By Janice Holt
November 16, 2020
Washington, D.C. (AGN.News) – With the holiday season upon us and the rise of COVID-19 cases, fraudsters are using more and more scams to separate victims from their hard-earned cash. There’s a new type of scam adapted to COVID-19 fears.
Scammers are using what is called ‘phishing’ (pronounced ‘fishing’) schemes. Internet thieves are ‘fishing’ for your personal information. They’re looking for ways to trick you into giving out your Social Security Number, credit card number and other personal information that they can use to their advantage. You could become a victim of identity theft that could take years to clear your real financial history and true personal reputation.
Understanding how these internet thieves work, will help you to protect yourself from becoming a victim.
How do these thieves get your information? You might receive an email from a company that you are familiar with that looks ‘real’. It has the company logo, they may call you by name, and the tone of the email is that they are looking out for your best interests.
This email will warn you of some imminent danger to your account on a well-known e-commerce site or credit card and that you need to take action immediately or you will suffer dire consequences.
There will be a link (underlined writing usually in blue) for you to click on that will take you to their website. And guess what? The website they take you to will look like the real thing with the company logo and all.
Next, you will be asked to ‘verify’ your account, password, or credit card information. If you ever find yourself here, STOP! Do nothing. Do not fill in any personal information. Immediately exit from this website and delete the phony email that you received.
How to know that this is a ‘phishing’ email. If you did not email this company asking for information about your account or for help with a problem, be suspicious. If you are still not sure because it looks so ‘real’, call the company yourself and ask. You can find these phone numbers on your monthly statement. If it is after hours and no one is there to take your call, wait until the next day when you can reach someone. Don’t fall for the ‘imminent danger’ message and feel that you have to take action immediately.
Here are some of the other tactics scammers use to carry out their scams. The ‘Imminent Arrest Scam’. You receive an email notifying you that a warrant for your arrest has been issued for some unpaid ticket or fine. To prevent your “Imminent Arrest’ you must “call this number” and follow the directions given over the phone. The problem here is warrants are not served in emails! They are served in-person by uniformed members of law enforcement.
The COVID-19 scam is on the rise. You may receive an email expressing sorrow over the death of a friend or relative. Scammers know with over 240,000 deaths in the U.S. alone, it’s a good chance you may have lost someone you know, a loved one or friend. To ‘help provide comfort’ to grieving families, you can make a donation by simply going to some website (this will look so real) and make a donation by entering your personal and card information. The problem here is the scammers just got you to surrender your soon-to-be stolen financials and your money is gone. Never make donations to unsolicited causes.
The ‘For Sale’ scam. Here again is the scammers use of email to trick their victims into giving out their personal information. In this scam the scammers know money is tight in this pandemic and people are looking to earn extra funds quick. Thus the ‘You must reply today’ or miss out on this sale trick.
All you have to do is hit ‘Reply’ and send your bank account information where you want the money sent. Those funds will be gone forever if you follow through and send money to these scammers.
Now the dating scam, ‘You don’t have to be alone during this pandemic’. This is often used on mature or senior dating sites. All you will be asked to do is send the scammer traveling money for expenses which will amounts upward of several thousand dollars sent to their personal account. As soon as the scammer receives to funds they’re gone.
‘Phishers’ or scammers are hoping that you will take immediate action – don’t panic and let them trick you into clicking on their link.
What can you do?
Never give anyone your password over the internet or phone when it is an unsolicited request. Your credit card company knows what your password and credit card number is. They don’t need to ask you for it. Likewise, your bank knows what your account number and social security number, they won’t ask you to repeat it verbally over the phone.
Review all of your monthly statements every month as soon as they arrive. Check for charges that you never made. If your statement is ever late in arriving in the mail, call and ask why. Protect yourself from these would-be thieves. Don’t let them take your identity!
A good rule to apply here is never open unsolicited emails. Delete them! Avoid being scammed on dating sites. Remember being alone with your money is better than being home alone feeling like you were scammed.
Scammers use toll free numbers of legitimate government agencies or companies to carry out their scams … these numbers have been “spoofed” in this current round of scams and remember no calls from these numbers should be returned. If you detect a scam call you should hang up immediately.
Keep in mind, upwards of 50% of all cellphone calls are scam calls. Generally, it is a good idea not to answer calls from numbers you don’t recognize or are not expecting to receive. Keep in mind the number you see may not be real, it may be “spoofed” or “fake”. DO NOT become a victim!
Anyone who has been a victim of any of these scams or these type of fraudulent schemes should report it to local police. Toronto Police Service says anyone who has been a victim of this type of fraud should report it to local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or over the phone at 1-888-495-8501. The fraud centre is also alerting Canadians that its toll free number has been “spoofed” in this current scam and no calls from this number should be returned.
Please remember to ‘Bookmark’ this page for future reference now!
CORONAVIRUS ALERT!
For more information on local responses to the novel coronavirus also called … COVID-19, contact your local healthcare provider or visit coronavirus.gov, or cdc.gov for the United States response to the coronavirus.
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Written by
Janice Holt – AGN.News Team
