{"id":128926,"date":"2021-09-16T06:27:55","date_gmt":"2021-09-16T13:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=128926"},"modified":"2025-05-20T17:56:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T00:56:37","slug":"top-10-covid-19-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/top-10-covid-19-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 COVID-19 Scams: How to Stay Protected"},"content":{"rendered":"

The COVID-19 pandemic flipped the world on its head in so many ways. Offices and schools stood empty while living rooms were transformed into classrooms and workspaces. Misinformation ran rampant and made people unsure of what to believe. Cybercriminals took advantage of the confusion and new way of daily life, giving rise to many COVID-19 scams.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Luckily, when armed with the facts, you can sidestep scams and keep your personal information safe from cybercriminals.\u00a0Here\u2019s a list of the top 10 COVID-19 scams you should keep an eye on plus tips\u00a0on how to avoid each and\u00a0help you navigate the current landscape\u00a0and the future\u00a0with confidence.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Vaccination Card Counterfeiting<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Finally getting your COVID-19 vaccine is an exciting occasion. Many people\u2019s first reaction to exciting news is to share it with their extended networks on social media. There was a trend going around where people were\u00a0<\/span>posting pictures of their vaccination\u00a0cards<\/span><\/a>. Little did they know, vaccination cards hold a trove of valuable information (name, birth dates, vaccination location, and dates) that can be used to create counterfeit vaccination cards.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, the information on vaccination cards can be\u00a0paired\u00a0together with other details from your social media profile to steal your identity. Consider\u00a0altering the privacy settings on your social media profiles\u00a0so it is only visible to people you know.\u00a0If you\u2019d like additional peace of mind that your identity is safe,\u00a0<\/span>McAfee Identity Theft Protection Plus<\/span><\/a>\u00a0provides up to $1 million in identity theft insurance and restoration assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. General Misinformation Spreading<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Some of the\u00a0<\/span>false claims\u00a0about COVID-19<\/span><\/a>\u00a0circulating on social media\u00a0are outrageous, such as 5G aiding the spread of the virus\u00a0and\u00a0eating garlic as a preventive measure.\u00a0Cybercriminals\u00a0might not have been the origin of false claims, but they\u00a0certainly benefit from the chaos\u00a0created by misinformation.\u00a0They capitalize on commonly held fears\u00a0by swooping in with cure-alls\u00a0that swindle money from concerned people.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be a source of truth for your social media following. The\u00a0<\/span>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/a>, the\u00a0<\/span>National Health Service<\/span><\/a>, and the\u00a0<\/span>World Health Organization<\/span><\/a>\u00a0can be trusted for up-to-date resources concerning COVID-19, the vaccine, and how to\u00a0remain healthy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Hazardous Online Miracle Cures<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

To firmly and quickly debunk this myth right now: There are no COVID-19 miracle cures. The best way to protect your\u00a0and your loved one\u2019s health is to\u00a0receive\u00a0a CDC-approved vaccination\u00a0from a medical institution.\u00a0Any\u00a0homemade\u00a0online\u00a0treatment\u00a0claiming to\u00a0cure the disease is a\u00a0<\/span>hoax to\u00a0steal money<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0Also, healing potions purchased online could be hazardous to your health, as in the case of one\u00a0fraudulent\u00a0operation in Florida. A Florida family sold a bleach solution\u00a0that swindled $1 million and left many people hospitalized.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the latest news about COVID-19 treatment,\u00a0preventive measures,\u00a0and the vaccine,\u00a0refer to the\u00a0CDC or WHO.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Stimulus CheckScams<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Various\u00a0<\/span>stimulus check scams<\/span><\/a>\u00a0were\u00a0swirling around\u00a0in early 2021. Scammers\u00a0impersonating government workers\u00a0contacted\u00a0citizens by phone, text,\u00a0and email\u00a0asking them to verify personal information or to pay fees to receive their checks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As with other\u00a0<\/span>IRS scams<\/span><\/a>, the best way to avoid them is to know how the\u00a0<\/span>IRS typically communicates<\/span><\/a>. The IRS will never ask for private personal information over email or over the phone. Never share your Social Security Number over email or the phone. The IRS only gets in touch with people through postal mail or in person.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Proof of Vaccination Phishing Scheme<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

A\u00a0new COVID-19 phishing scam is on the rise:\u00a0<\/span>proof of vaccination scam<\/span><\/a>. Cybercriminals are sending phishing emails posing as healthcare institutions asking for urgent confirmation of vaccine status. The emails ask for full names, birth dates, Social Security Numbers, and photos\u00a0of vaccine cards.\u00a0This scam is dangerous, not only because it asks for sensitive information, but because the\u00a0request\u00a0is a believable one. Employers and various other institutions\u00a0are on the fence about asking people for their vaccine status, and\u00a0people are unsure to whom they should divulge this information.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like with other\u00a0<\/span>phishing scams<\/span><\/a>, pay close attention to the message and how it\u2019s written. Does it\u00a0convey urgency and penalties for ignoring it? Phishing emails often use language\u00a0that causes\u00a0readers to panic and give up their information quickly without taking the time to determine if the\u00a0message is real or not.\u00a0Also, does the email or text have typos and is it poorly written?\u00a0Never click on links\u00a0or respond to suspicious emails. Instead, contact the supposed sender through the phone number or email address listed on their official website.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Video Conferencing Eavesdropping<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Video conferencing<\/span><\/a>\u00a0popularity soared as businesses and schools conducted work and learning online. Cybercriminals\u00a0capitalized on the surge by\u00a0forcing their way into video conferencing software and spying on meetings and classrooms.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The key to protecting the privacy of your teleconference calls is to always have the most up-to-date software installed. Software upgrades often include security patches. One way to ensure you always have the latest, most secure version installed is to enable automatic updates. Also, be careful about what you share over teleconference. Just in case a cybercriminal is eavesdropping, never say aloud or instant message your Social Security Number or other sensitive personal information. Finally, follow your workplace\u2019s IT team\u2019s cybersecurity policies and use only your company-issued device for work purposes. Company-issued devices often have additional security protections to keep your personal and company information safe from prying eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Job Scams<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, many people lost their jobs during the pandemic. Cybercriminals, aware that people without jobs were likely to jump on an employment opportunity due to economic uncertainty,\u00a0flooded job boards with fake\u00a0employment\u00a0ads and sent\u00a0fraudulent\u00a0job offer emails.\u00a0These\u00a0<\/span>job\u00a0scams<\/span><\/a>\u00a0turned\u00a0out to be phishing attempts\u00a0to extract personal and banking details. In some cases, the scammers asked job seekers to wire money for pre-employment training.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you receive a job offer, make sure that it\u00a0is for\u00a0a company you\u00a0actually\u00a0applied to. Even though companies are looking to hire people quickly,\u00a0a reputable institution likely won\u2019t offer a job without interviewing candidates first. Most interviews are happening online, so request a video conference to make sure that the person on the other end of the line is real and has honest intentions.\u00a0Research the interviewer on professional networking sites to make sure they are who they say they are.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Real Estate Scams<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Similar\u00a0to job scams, the urgency of the\u00a0<\/span>real estate market during the pandemic<\/span><\/a>\u00a0may make people act\u00a0more\u00a0impulsively than they would under normal circumstances.\u00a0The rental and housing markets\u00a0have been\u00a0extremely competitive, which\u00a0is\u00a0causing\u00a0people to put deposits down for residences that weren\u2019t even real.\u00a0Since home tours were moved online due to social distancing requirements,\u00a0buyers and renters were OK with making a decision based on pictures.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Real\u00a0estate scams<\/span><\/a>\u00a0play up the urgency of acting quickly. In their hurry to claim a real estate gem, homebuyers and renters may overlook the most glaring red flag of real\u00a0estate scams during the pandemic: not viewing the property in person.\u00a0Additionally, never share your\u00a0banking information or wire money to someone you have never met\u00a0in person\u00a0or cannot verify the accredited real estate agency for which they work.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

9. FakeHealth Alerts<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

When a cybercriminal\u00a0<\/span>poses as a legitimate organization<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s\u00a0more difficult to determine what information to trust.\u00a0For example, criminals circulated a\u00a0scam\u00a0impersonating the CDC\u00a0that\u00a0downloaded\u00a0malware\u00a0onto users\u2019 devices.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A great tip to thwart\u00a0cybercriminals\u00a0hiding behind the name of a\u00a0credible organization\u00a0is\u00a0to always hover your cursor over links in emails and texts. If\u00a0a link\u00a0redirects\u00a0to a URL that looks\u00a0suspicious, immediately delete the message.\u00a0A suspicious URL could contain a typo, a variant spelling of the organization its impersonating, or be a string of jumbled letters and numbers.\u00a0Emails that claim to be from official organizations will often have the organization\u2019s logo somewhere on the message. Check the clarity of the logo and compare it to the organization\u2019s official site. If the logo is blurry or the coloring seems off, that\u2019s a sign that the message is fake.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

10. Fake Delivery Notices<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

COVID-19 led to a boom in e-commerce.\u00a0Shopping that was normally conducted in person moved online, and\u00a0a pile of packages on the front stoop was\u00a0a common occurrence.\u00a0There was a\u00a0<\/span>fake delivery notice scam<\/span><\/a>\u00a0where cybercriminals posed as UPS and Amazon to phish for personal details in order to\u00a0release a hold on deliveries.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One final phishing avoidance tip is: Consider what the message is asking. Has UPS ever asked for your Social Security Number before? If\u00a0they\u00a0had it, what would they use it for? And there\u2019s no reason for Amazon to have your banking information.\u00a0Don\u2019t let the urgency of the scammer\u2019s message stress you out. A quick phone call\u00a0with the delivery service in question should solve the problem.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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