Beware of Email Scammers During the COVID Crisis
Have you been inundated with emails recently?
Every company, business, and organization you’ve ever given your email address probably alerted you to their COVID-19 Response Action Plan. You may have also received emails asking for donations to support financial relief, treatment efforts, vaccine development, and more.
What’s concerning is that many of these emails are scams aimed at stealing your personal information.
According to a recent article from CNBC, several spam emails are mimicking efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These campaigns were even “signed” by leaders at these organizations, such as the Director of WHO. However, the websites associated with these emails were fake, and one click ensured that the email recipient’s computer was infected.
Once malware is installed on your computer, your personal and financial information is at risk.
The FBI also recently warned U.S. citizens to be wary of emails asking for personal information in order to receive stimulus checks. The agency additionally noted there have been email campaigns offering counterfeit medical supplies, COVID-19 testing kits and other products.
The reality is that criminals prey on an individual’s fears, so cases of fraud and scamming campaigns will certainly accelerate in this time of uncertainty. Here are five steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from these fraudulent efforts.
1. Avoid clicking on any links or opening any attachments in emails asking for your personal information. U.S. government agencies will never ask for your personal information (i.e. Social Security number) through email.
2. Take a closer look at the sender’s actual email address and the links throughout the email. You can hover over both with your mouse to see where the link really directs, often discovering a tell-tale sign that the email address or website is not legitimate.
3. Be wary of emails telling you to “act now” or tout “limited supplies.” This sense of urgency is aimed at pressuring you act first and think later. Remember, there isn’t currently a vaccine or pill approved for the treatment of COVID-19, and the FDA has not authorized any at-home test kits for the disease. Any emails offering these products are fake.
4. Consider the email greeting, and if there are any glaring spelling or grammatical errors. Generic greetings that include “sir or madam” are often the first sign that an email is fraudulent. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors can also signal that an email is not legitimate.
5. Verify any message from what looks like a reputable source before replying or clicking on any links. In other words, contact the organization or sender directly via phone to verify that the message isn’t fraudulent.
The bottom line: If you receive any emails that look suspicious, delete them immediately.