God Bless the American on a mission to stop suspicious DNA testers selling unlicensed and questionable at best COVID-19 tests after taking $240 cash and taking down your social security number, insurance plan details and your DNA from parking lots.
COVID-19 schemes such as the one busted up by Louisville, Kentucky community advocate Summer Dickerson could be knocking at your door too. One California district attorney is warning of phony door-to-door COVID-19 home tests that are also appearing online. Most Coronavirus scams begin in the easily spots known to scammers: Text, email and phone.
Security companies are seeing a spike in COVID-19 attack campaigns. One security firm, Barracuda, says that in the first 3 weeks of March, it is tracking 9,116 Coronavirus-themed spear phishing emails. Here are some of the newer COVID-19 scams to avoid.
MANDATORY ONLINE COVID-19 TEST SCAM
If you get a text saying that you need to take a mandatory online COVID-19 test, the Better Business Bureau reports this text scam is spreading from Department of Heath and Human Services imposters posing as employees with an urgent message. The link is instead a malicious attack to redirect you to an attack.
‘YOU ARE INFECTED’ EMAIL SCAM
The “You Are Infected” email scam says you recently came in contact with a colleague, friend or family member who has COVID-19. It instructs the victim to download and print an emergency attachment which instead infects their devices.
SBA DISASTER ASSISTANCE GRANT SCAM
As if small business owners aren’t going through enough with a substantial downturn in spending, this SBA email scam offers no assistance and instead downloads software to gives the scammer remote access to your device. If you are a small business owner looking for some advice about any additional support you may be able to receive, we found a RRV loan guide that you may wish to take a look at.
COVID-19 Scams Are Growing
- Door to door and online phony COVID-19 home testing kits
- Counterfeit and shoddy masks being sold online that do not protect
- Stimulus check verification scam
- Donation phone/online fraud schemes to fake charities
- Miracle cure and vaccination offers
- Click bait scams that promise downloads of tracking maps to nearby testing location and instead install malware, ransomeware or steal money
HOW TO AVOID CORONAVIRUS SCAMS
- Don’t click links in email, text or social media
- Never wire money or send cash to strangers
- Don’t reply to or forward obvious scams
- Keep security software up to date
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