As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it turned everyday life completely on its head. From stay-at-home-orders to increasing demands being placed on healthcare workers, it has been a difficult time. It’s also made taking care of one’s health a top priority. Now, another threat brought about by this coronavirus outbreak comes in the form of online phishing scams. It means that beyond being vigilant about your physical health, you need to now focus on protecting your digital safety and privacy.
An April report from the Verge reveals that Google saw more than 18 million daily malware and email phishing scams tied to COVID-19. The tech giant says this is in addition to the 240 million spam messages per day people have been receiving since the outbreak emerged. What do they look like? The scams often impersonate official messages from government organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Protect yourself from this cybercrime
The CDC reports that people have been receiving phone calls and voicemails that look like they are coming from them. Many ask for donations. They say that cyber criminals are sending phishing emails with malware-containing links that can steal your private information and seize control of healthcare IT systems. How are these criminals able to pull this off? Apps and free websites make it relatively easy to make it look like you’re getting a call or an email directly from the CDC.
The CDC lays out some recommendations to protect yourself from this cybercrime:
Don’t open the email. If you don’t recognize the address the message is from, don’t open it or any associate attachments.
Avoid links. Don’t click on a link from any suspicious email. If the address looks legitimate, consider re-typing it in a browser window just in case.
Hold onto your data. Don’t send anyone your personal information or passwords.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security suggests that you should always be wary of strange emails that place a time limit over your head. If you’re told you have 24 hours to respond, ignore it. “Criminals often threaten you with fines or other negative consequences,” the DHS writes.
They also suggest that you should be cautious on how a particular email might make you feel — trust your gut. If you feel panic, fear, or an unusual level of curiosity based on the language included from an unfamiliar sender, practice caution.