The Coronavirus pandemic has changed our way of life and while many people have responded to situation with kindness and compassion, there are some people who are taking full advantage of the pandemic.
Scammers try to steal your personal and access financial information for the personal gain.
Some of the scams that have been reported so far:
Flight cancellations
So many people have had to cancel or reschedule flights and scammers are taking advantage of this by calling people and pretending to be the airline. Be careful if you receive a call like this, most airlines are offering credits, not refunds.
Phishing emails
Phishing emails and phone calls impersonating entities. These include the World Health Organisation, government authorities, people confirmed to have the coronavirus, and legitimate businesses such as travel agents and telecommunications companies
Impersonations
Scammers are impersonating health experts and are requesting personal information and offering health advice.
Other scams
- people receiving misinformation about the Coronavirus, being sent by text, social media and email
- products claiming to be a vaccine or cure for the Coronavirus
- investment scams claiming Coronavirus has created opportunities.
Protecting yourself?
- Be aware of fraudulent emails, phone calls and text messages
- Be careful when shopping online and only use reputable websites and payment methods
- Don’t click on links or attachments sent from email addresses you don’t recognise
- Keep your anti-virus software up to date
- As always, please do not give out your personal information over the phone or email. If in doubt, call the organisation yourself to check the authenticity
