Scam of the Week: Exploiting the Coronavirus: Financial Assistance Scams

Financial Assistance Scams on the Rise

As the global pandemic carries on, individuals and families worldwide are faced to struggle with the financial impact left in the wake of the virus. Meanwhile, scammers are launching phishing attacks claiming to offer assistance to those in need.

According to KnowBe4.com, phishing emails are being sent out to impersonate your local government and state that the recipient is eligible to receive financial aid. The victim is then directed to click a link in the email for more information. If they click the link, they are taken to a phony government website. The site asks for personally identifiable information, including your social security number. Once the unsuspecting recipient provides this information, the site claims that they will be contacted regarding your aid. Don’t be fooled! Anything entered on that site is sent directly to the cybercriminals.

KnowBe4 offers the following tips to stay safe from these cyber-criminals:

“Never click on a link in an email that you weren’t expecting. Even if the sender appears to be a legitimate organization, the email address could be spoofed. Stay up-to-date on response efforts through official government websites and trusted news sources.”

If you feel the email could be legitimate, use another means of communication to reach out to the sender, such as calling their official phone number—not the one listed in the suspicious email.

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