7 most common types of COVID-19 scams and how to avoid them!
Humankind is facing an unprecedented challenge. Not only new cases of COVID-19 appear worldwide, but also, scammers are taking advantage of this delicate situation and claimed over 13.4 million USD from Americans, the most impacted country by the disease. Daily Google blocks over 100 million phishing emails; about 18 million are related to COVID-19 scams.
Blood and saliva samples
The internet that an average user browse is known as the surface web, the deep web is where all anyone can find virtually anything, including blood and saliva samples from recovered COVID-19 patients.
To help its population during the lockdown, countries like the US, distributed financial stimulus to the citizens. Scammers take advantage of this situation to offer instant payments or increase the total amount in exchange for a fee.
Fake drugs and cure
In the age of Fake News and conspiracy theories, there is an unease amongst the population that big pharmaceuticals are withholding information about treatments and cures.
COVID-19 tests
The short supply of COVID-19 tests creates the perfect opportunity for scammers to sell fake tests. Authorities approved the first at-home test recently, so it is almost certain that tests sold online are scams
Tech support and Fake co-workers
Currently is the most massive work-from-home experiment in history, with that the demand for new technologies increased. So did the number of tech support and fake co-workers scams.
Extortion scams
The new wave of remote workers also increased the usage of video chats, and this creates the opportunity for hackers to compromise those webcams and attempt to extort people in exchange for cryptocurrencies. After the next zoom call, consider covering the camera after using it
Risk-free investments and Fake loans
One of the most significant consequences of the pandemic is the economic impact. In such a delicate situation, the promise of substantial returns with no risks sounds like the perfect deal. Scammers are taking advantage of the tricky economic condition of people worldwide, offering fake loans and risk-free investments. Sometimes offers are too good to be true
Donation scams
The action of charities can change people’s lives all over the world. Crowdfunding is an essential tool for NGOs, but it is also used by fake charities to trick well-meaning people into donating their money
There are many different ways that someone can protect from those scams. Google released a guide that helps to identify COVID-19 online scams.
This guide is essential to prevent future scams, but for the ones that already happen, contact our team, we will do our best to assist with you case. Click here and check our services here . Or just fill the form below to have a free consultation!
