Last updated 12 April 2021

Stay up to date on the latest Coronavirus scams! The Coronavirus outbreak has global attention and is a national emergency in the United States. Since cybercriminals prey on fear, we can expect to see more and more COVID-19 scams as the situation progresses. 

Types of Scams You May See

Charity scams: You may see charities that you don’t recognize asking for donations in the wake of COVID-19. Verify all charities on the IRS tax exemption site. 

Social media scams: Social media is a tool that cybercriminals use to distribute false information and capitalize on panic. If you’re looking for information on social media, visit trusted profiles like the CDC, World Health Organization, Federal Trade Commission, and the Better Business Bureau. 

Romance scams: Many of us are staying home due to the outbreak, so we are spending more time on the internet. Cybercriminals will try to capitalize on this heightened internet traffic to lure people into romance scams. If the person you started chatting with online asks you for money, it’s probably a scam.

Phishing Scams: Emails impersonating the World Health Organization, the CDC, and other reputable sources may hit your inbox. Don’t click on emails impersonating these organizations. For accurate info, go straight to the source such as the World Health Organization and the CDC’s websites.

Robocalls: Calls from cybercriminals pretending to be government organizations, family members in distress, banks/credit card companies etc. are on the rise due to the coronavirus outbreak. Robocalls are less easy to detect than they used to be, the caller ID can be adjusted to make it look like the call is coming from your area code. 

Work-from-home Small Business Concerns: Many of us have moved to remote work in light of recent events and there are plenty of risks that come with it including hacked video conferences, malware and hacked devices/accounts. Make sure your employees are trained to uphold cybersecurity practices from home.

Malware: Fraudulent links can install malware on your device. If your computer has been infected by malware from a malicious link, visit our recovery page here.

Stay Connected

• Bookmark this page and check back for updates
• Use these trusted sites: CDC.gov, CISA.gov and FTC.gov
• Follow us on Twitter
• Learn how to spot a scam by following the three golden rules on ScamSpotter.org
• Google: Helping you avoid COVID‑19 online scams
• Find help for small businesses from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Microsoft shares new threat intelligence, security guidance during global crisis

Latest News Updates

12 April 2021

BBB Scam Alert: Survey scam is back with a COVID-19 twist: Did you receive a text with a survey about your vaccine? It’s one of those scams that just keep reappearing… each time with a new twist. This time, the phony survey claims to be from pharmaceutical company Pfizer, with questions about their COVID-19 vaccine. Full story from News 3 WSILTV 

9 April 2021

FEMA warns of scammers taking advantage of people seeking COVID-19 funeral assistance: The Federal Emergency Management Agency plans to help families burdened with funeral costs for loved ones who died of COVID-19. The applications for these funds have not even opened yet and scammers are already trying to contact people. Full story from ABC 8 News

7 April 2021

Wine scams spiked during COVID-19 lockdown: Absolute monsters. Wine-themed domain registrations rose once COVID-19 lockdowns took hold, some of them malicious and used in phishing campaigns, Recorded Future and Area 1 Security said in a joint report out Wednesday. Full story from CyberScoop

29 March 2021

As COVID-19 Vaccines Ramp Up, So Do COVID-19 Scams: In the year since Forbes first covered the scams preying on fears of the Covid-19 coronavirus, this area of cybercrime has simply exploded. The bogus websites have become phishing emails and phishing text messages. Now we have fake pollsters, fake messages from your HR department, fake cures and fake vaccine appointments. Scammers are using concern about the pandemic to steal identities and money. Full story from Forbes

15 March 2021

Don’t like getting snookered? Watch out for these COVID-19 scams: When Becky Oglevee’s 5 year-old boxer, Lovi, died suddenly of a heart attack in September, the Crafton-Ingram area resident and hospice nurse was crushed. So she started looking for another dog, answering an ad on Craigslist for a bulldog puppy. After viewing photos of the pudgy pup, along with photos of the supposed parents, she was smitten. “He made me believe [the puppy] was in the Pittsburgh area,” Ms. Oglevee said. Later, the seller told her it was in North Carolina, but that he would deliver the dog at no extra cost through a reliable courier. Full story from the Post Gazette

11 March 2021

How to protect yourself from COVID-19 scammers: They’ve been trying to con people into “paying” for COVID-19 vaccines and now that tax time is upon us, they’ll try threatening calls claiming you owe money to the IRS. Don’t fall for it. The following are tips from Devoted Health benefits advisor, Kent Jacobs, who is based in Cincinnati. Full story from ABC 10

25 Feb 2021

12 News Investigates: Pandemic Tax Scams: Tax season started February 12, and scammers are taking advantage of tax payers. In the latest COVID-19-related scams, the scammers have used their identities to make unemployment claims. Their victims received 1099-G forms in the mail showing they owe tax money on the unemployment compensation from 2020 they didn’t get. Full story from WJTV

23 Feb 2021

L.A. restaurants struggle with new forms of dine-and-dash: Spoon by H, Yoonjin Hwang’s celebrated Korean restaurant in Fairfax, is closing. Business had been slow since the start of the pandemic, but last summer, Hwang said, she started to notice more people disputing charges and claiming missing items through delivery apps. The restaurant was bleeding money and she was spending hours on the phone with the people behind the apps, trying to dispute the chargebacks. Full story from the Los Angeles Times

18 Feb 2021

Cybercriminals Enterprise ‘Ringleaders’ Stole $55M Via COVID-19 Fraud, Romance Scams: The Department of Justice (DOJ) cracked down on a Ghana-based cybercriminal enterprise behind a slew of romance scams, COVID-19 fraud attacks and business email compromise schemes since 2013. Full story from Threat Post

10 Feb 2021

Romance fraud on rise in coronavirus lockdown: Romance fraud – scamming someone out of money by pretending to want a relationship – has been on the rise during lockdown. According to UK Finance, there was a 20% increase in bank transfer fraud linked to romance scams in 2020 compared to 2019. Full story from the BBC

1 Feb 2021

Watch for Covid Scammers Targeting Small Businesses: The latest Covid scams are going after small business owners by pretending to offer SBA loans. Here’s what to watch for. Over the past 20 years I have written numerous stories on how consumers can protect themselves against scammers. The scams that really get to me are the ones where scammers were taking advantage of a hardship such as a natural disaster. Full story from The Street

29 Jan 2021

IRS warns public about wave of COVID-19 scams: The Internal Revenue Service on Friday issued a warning about a wave of COVID-19-related scams targeting recipients of economic stimulus payments. Full story from The Citizens’ Voice

19 Jan 2021

IRS investigating hundreds of COVID-19 scams, warns Illinois taxpayers: As the second round of pandemic relief checks goes out to millions of Americans, the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal investigation division warned Illinois taxpayers Tuesday that it was looking into hundreds of COVID-19-related scams across the country and abroad. Full story from the Chicago Tribune

18 Jan 2021

How to avoid coronavirus vaccine scams: The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public about covid-19 scams going around. They want to remind the public that you will not be charged for the vaccine and watch for pop up ads. Full story from yahoo!news

15 Jan 2021

IRS issues warning about new wave of scams as second round of stimulus checks delivered: The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division is warning Ohio taxpayers about a new wave of COVID-19 related scams. Full story from FOX 8

13 Jan 2021

8 coronavirus vaccine scams that want to steal your money and personal information: Despite its many tribulations, 2020 ended on a high note: Two COVID-19 vaccines became available in December (and a third followed shortly, becoming available in January). But with the vaccine rollout came many myths and fear, and now, scams. Full story from CNET

BBB Scam Alert: COVID-19 relief scams target small business owners: You receive a call, email, or social media message directed to you as a business owner or bookkeeper. It seems to come from a legitimate business or organization. The person you communicate with asks if your business is taking advantage of a COVID-19 relief package or government grant you are unaware of. When you tell them you aren’t, they offer to sign you up right away. In fact, since you didn’t know you should be receiving these funds, they already owe you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Scammers may then ask you to pay a processing or delivery fee to receive your relief funds. Unfortunately, once they get your “processing fee,” they will disappear for good. Full story from BBB

5 Jan 2021

Don’t Be Fooled by COVID-19 Vaccine Scams: As the COVID-19 vaccine begins to be distributed in Iowa, scams are being reported that are preying on those who are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection, such as older adults. Protect yourself and your loved ones by knowing the facts, say Sarah Francis, Jeongeun Lee and Barb Wollan, human sciences specialists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Full story from mix 107.3

Nebraska officials warn about virus vaccine scams: Nebraska officials are warning people to watch out for scams related to coronavirus vaccines.State Attorney General Doug Peterson said Nebraskans should be wary about unsolicited offers to provide the vaccine, especially if they ask for credit card numbers or other personal information. Fully story from Siouxland Proud

21 Dec 2020

FBI warns of potential COVID-19 vaccine scams as nationwide distribution gets underway: As the country begins its largest vaccination effort in history against COVID-19, federal officials are warning Americans to stay vigilant and be on the lookout for potential scams. Full story from FOX 35 Orlando

Federal Agencies Warn of Emerging Fraud Schemes Related to COVID-19 Vaccines: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are warning the public about several emerging fraud schemes related to COVID-19 vaccines. Full story from fbi.gov 

19 Dec 2020

Warning over ‘missed delivery’ parcel scams this Christmas: As millions shop online for Christmas, they are being targeted by fraudsters sending scam texts and emails. These claim to be from the courier service DPD or Royal Mail, and say the firm has been unable to deliver an item. Full story from The Guardian

17 Dec 2020

Puppy Scams Have Spiked in the Pandemic: As the demand for pets has surged since the arrival of the coronavirus, consumer advocates are warning people to be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. Full story from The New York Times

BEC Hits Double Digits as COVID-19 Scams Abound: Business email compromise (BEC) attacks have surged over the past year-and-a-half, while scams designed to part users with their money remain a persistent phishing threat, according to Barracuda Networks. Full story from Infosecurity Magazine

16 Dec 2020

Health experts warn of potential Covid-19 vaccine scam phone calls: Public health officials are warning of scammers who promise early access to the vaccine for people who hand over their Social Security Number to callers. Full story from NBC News

14 Dec 2020

As Puppy Scams Peak, Fairfax County Shelter Offers Safe Adoption: Online scammers have been busy as the holiday season has collided with the COVID-19 pandemic in Fairfax County. One type of scam that is particularly alarming, and gaining strength, involves puppies and other pets such as kittens, iguanas and lizards. Full story from Patch

Watch Out For Coronavirus Vaccine Scams, Officials Warn As First Doses Administered In NYC: The first doses of the coronavirus vaccine are being administered in New York City, and the campaign will start Tuesday in Chicago. Coronavirus vaccines are not yet available to the general public, and they likely won’t be until the spring, officials have said. When they are available, they will be free. Full story from Block Club Chicago

11 Dec 2020

BBB Warns against fake COVID-19 vaccine scams: As the COVID-19 vaccine makes its way to New York, the Better Business Bureau is warning Americans about fake vaccine scams. Selling fake vaccines and other treatments is likely only one of many ways scammers will try to cash in on the vaccine release. Full story from News 10

Scams likely to heat up after COVID-19 vaccine rollout: Sometimes, scam alerts get out there to warn consumers about an ongoing trouble spot — such as a flurry of robocalls from someone pretending to be from DTE Energy and ready to shut off your heat or someone pretending to be from Amazon or Apple support as you’re shopping online. Full story from the Detroit Free Press

7 Dec 2020

Virginia attorney general warns against possible COVID-19 vaccination scams: As people all over the world and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia anxiously await their turn to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, others are waiting to take advantage of them. Attorney General Mark Herring is asking that all Virginians be aware of possible vaccine-related scams and take precautions to make sure they don’t fall victim to one. Full story from WAVY

3 Dec 2020

Fake websites and false cures: Interpol warns of Covid-19 vaccine scams: Interpol has warned of a potential increase in cybercrime scams exploiting the news that a Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for use in the UK. Full story from The Daily Swig 

Beware New Text Message Coronavirus Scam: NY Officials: The latest bunch of text messaging scams targets New Yorkers with phony offers of fake grants, tax refunds, pandemic relief, and unemployment insurance payments — but all the scammers really want is to steal money and personal information from you, warned officials from the New York State Division of Consumer Protection. Full story from Patch

2 Dec 2020

Experian Experts Predict COVID-Related Scams to Continue Into 2020: As 2020 comes to a close, cybercriminals will continue to leverage the pandemic and changing consumer behaviors to wreak havoc in 2021, according to Experian experts. With December being Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month, Experian is offering virtual resources to help consumers protect their personal information. Fully story from Business Wire

Online puppy scams rising sharply in 2020, BBB warns: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased demand for pets as people seek adding a pet to the family to ease the loneliness and tension of prolonged time at home. Many feel that they now have more time to train a puppy. With this rising demand has come a spike in pet scams, in which an online search ends with a would-be pet owner paying hundreds of dollars or more to purchase a pet that ultimately doesn’t exist. Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises extreme caution when shopping for a pet online, especially in light of scammers’ evolving tactics. Full story from BBB

29 Nov 2020

Don’t be duped by fake domains this Cyber Monday: At IronNet, Cyber Monday is about much more than just shopping online — it’s the perfect time for some important cybersecurity reminders. That’s why we want to share some of our recent threat intelligence that may have a direct impact on you during the height of the holiday shopping season. Full story from Security Boulevard

25 Nov 2020

Experts warning about cyber scams over the holiday season: COVID-19 has many doing their holiday shopping in front of a computer screen. But that great deal that pops up in your inbox could be something more sinister. Full story from WRBL

23 Nov 2020

AARP Warns About COVID – Holiday Scams: With the spike in COVID cases and the upcoming holiday season, consumer groups are warning Michiganders a proliferation of scam artists is emerging. Mark Hornbeck with AARP of Michigan says everyone should be on the lookout for the typical cons related to shopping, including bogus websites impersonating major brands, gift cards that already have been drained of their funds, and porch pirates. He says the pandemic also has fostered a huge number of scams. Full story from WSJM

19 Nov 2020

HMRC Records 73% Growth in Email Phishing Attacks During #COVID19: The UK’s HMRC detected a 73% rise in email phishing attacks in the six months that the COVID-19 pandemic struck the country, according to official data obtained following a FOI request by accountancy firm Lanop Outsourcing. Full story from Infosecurity Magazine

16 Nov 2020

How to avoid scams that are related to COVID-19 vaccine trials: Steve Bernas, President & CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, joins Anna to tell us what we need to know about the latest COVID-19 scams and how we can protect ourselves from new online shopping and holiday hiring scams. Full story from WGN Radio

13 Nov 2020

During Utility Scam Awareness Week and the Ongoing Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic PG&E Urges Customers to protect Themselves Against Scammers: Every day, electric and natural gas customers throughout the country are being targeted by utility scams. These imposters typically target customers online, in-person and by telephone. And, this year is even worse due to the ongoing financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. PG&E is taking a stand against scammers by joining its fellow electric, natural gas, water utilities and Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) in helping customers recognize potential bad actors during Utility Scam Awareness Week from November 16-23, 2020. Full story from Business Wire

7 Nov 2020

Amazon Prime customers warned of scam phone calls: Consumers have been warned not to fall prey to fraudsters who are targeting Amazon Prime customers, many of whom became members for the first time during the Covid-19 crisis. Full story from The Guardian

6 Nov 2020

COVID Scams Prompt Europe To Press For Data Sharing: The escalating COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing second lockdown in Europe have prompted lawmakers to press for eCommerce platforms and other media to share data, according to a TechCrunch report on Friday (Nov. 6). The effort is aimed at reducing the number of COVID-19 scams by “rogue traders” that target people and businesses affected by the pandemic. Full story from PYMNTS.com

European Commission Meets With Amazon, Facebook, Google, Microsoft And Alibaba In Crackdown On COVID-19 Scams: The European Commission is ramping up its campaign against scams touting phony COVID-19 cures and treatments as the continent grapples with another wave of infections and deaths from the disease caused by the coronavirus. Full story from PYMNTS.com

5 Nov 2020

IRS Warn Taxpayers of New COVID-19 Related Text Scam Concerning Their $1,200 Economic Impact Payment: The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and the tax industry on Wednesday warned of a new text scam created by thieves that trick people into disclosing bank account information under the guise of receiving the $1,200 Economic Impact Payment. Full story from the Sierra Sun Times

31 Oct 2020

Coronavirus: Thousands of jobseekers scammed in surge of fake employment listings: Since the pandemic began, it has received 750 reports of job scams, which aim to trick people into handing over money or personal data. It estimates there have been about 3,750 victims in total. Full story from Sky News

28 Oct 2020

Pennsylvania officials warn of new scam targeting state’s unemployment system: The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry said Tuesday new reports have emerged of fraudsters posing as state Department of Labor and Industry employees on phone calls or in social media messages and seeking personal information from state residents, including Social Security numbers. Full story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

COVID scams continue to be a threat: Several months have passed since this column addressed scams related to COVID-19. Sadly, as the victim count climbs, so do the number of scams being perpetrated by criminals. Full story from the Manchester Journal

25 Oct 2020

As victim count climbs, so does the number of COVID-related scams: Several months have passed since this column addressed scams related to COVID-19. Sadly, as the victim count climbs, so do the number of scams being perpetrated by criminals. Full story from the Brattleboro Reformer

23 Oct 2020

Global money laundering monitor says COVID fraud on the rise: The international organization that monitors protections against money laundering and terrorism financing said Friday that fraud related to coronavirus is on the rise.The Financial Action Task Force said fraud linked to counterfeit medical supplies, economic stimulus measures and online scams were hitting governments hard around the world. Full story from the Tribune-Star

22 Oct 2020

Webinar on how to avoid being a victim of a COVID-19 scam: According to NCL, who operates the Fraud.org website, a spike of complaints about fraud has been registered since the pandemic began in mid-March. The scams include unemployment benefits, immigration, stimulus check fraud, and more. Full story from Pahrump Valley Times

19 Oct 2020

With ID Theft & Fraud Spreading as Fast as COVID-19, What Can CUs Do?: Over the past nine months, our country has experienced an unprecedented pandemic featuring a transmittable virus that has spread “like wildfire” to millions of Americans. Unfortunately, the world’s criminals have preyed upon this fast-spreading viral disease, creating the spread of criminal activity that has moved as swiftly as the virus itself. Full story from the Credit Union Times

17 Oct 2020

BBB Tips: Fake invoice scams: During the COVID-19 pandemic, fraudsters have found various ways to perpetrate scams. With many people working remotely, the chance of scammers taking advantage of companies through fake invoice scams is high. Full story from the Columbia Daily Tribune

15 Oct 2020

Easton Police Warn Residents about Common Scams During National Crime Prevention Month: As part of National Crime Prevention Month, Chief Gary Sullivan and the Easton Police Department wish to warn the public about common types of scams. October is National Crime Prevention Month. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that in 2019 consumers lost more than $1.9 billion to fraud with nearly $667 million lost to imposter scams alone. Full story from JGPR

14 Oct 2020

October is cyber-security month: tips on how to avoid rip-offs: Experts say the risk is on the rise as more and more of us are connected not just locally, but nationally and globally. We talked with Zac Streelman, vice-president of technology at OnPoint about the three top scams going around. Full story from KATU 2 ABC

12 Oct 2020

Mass. town loses $522K to spear phishing cyberattack: Town officials announced Thursday night that the town was victimized by a “spear phishing” attack that resulted in $522,000 being “misdirected to a third party.” The attack did not affect the town’s general fund, but rather a non-general fund account, said Town Administrator Jamie Hellen. Full story from SecurityInfoWatch.com

8 Oct 2020

Cyber scams and ransomware booming amid Covid-19 lockdowns – Europol: The global Covid-19 pandemic has made existing cybercrime problems even worse than before, law enforcement agency Europol warns. Europol’s latest annual Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) report, published today (October 6), logs a sustained outbreak of coronavirus-themed scams and the emergence of more sophisticated ransomware attacks. Full story from The Daily Swig

5 Oct 2020

Beware of Robocalls, Texts and Emails Promising COVID-19 Cures or Stimulus Payments: Fraudsters are using the full suite of scam tools — phishing emails and texts, bogus social media posts, robocalls, impostor schemes and more — and closely following the headlines, adapting their messages and tactics as new medical and economic issues arise. Full story from AARP

October Scam Alerts: October is less than one week old and it’s already been full of surprises. Let’s make sure that being a victim to a fraud or scam is not one of them. This month is Cybercrime Awareness Month and when we think about protecting ourselves from cybercrime, we often stop at password protection and anti-virus software. But in today’s day and age, being cyber safe extends beyond our computers and phones. Full story from Wilmington Biz

30 Sept 2020

AARP Massachusetts Fraud Watch Network Update: September 2020: The AARP Fraud Watch Network has issued the following watchdog alerts: COVID Diet Scams, Lottery Scams, COVID Social Security Scams, and Elder Financial Abuse. Full story from Leominister Champion

29 Sept 2020

BGE warning customers of increased COVID-19 scams: BGE is warning its customers of increased scams during the COVID-19 pandemic. In September alone, BGE says they’ve received nearly 1500 complaints with customers reporting $25,000 in losses. Full story from WMAR Baltimore

Scammed during the pandemic? You’re not alone. Californians have lost $20M to fraud: Consumer fraud experts say the coronavirus pandemic is spawning new kinds of scams that take advantage of people when they’re already down, from $9 water bottles to purported on-the-spot coronavirus antibody tests. U.S. residents have lost about $149 million in coronavirus-related scams through late September, with around 210,000 reports coming into the Federal Trade Commission, according to agency data. Full story from Desert Sun

21 Sept 2020

Scammers target unemployment program in Pennsylvania again: Payments for new claims filed through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program — a federal system set up to expand who is eligible for unemployment benefits — will be delayed as state officials work to stop scammers from filing fraudulent claims. Full story from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

19 Sept 2020

BBB: Top three scams in Charlotte area in September: As people continue to struggle financially during this pandemic, scammers are trying to capitalize on that by ripping you off. WBTV spoke with the Better Business Bureau about the top three scams they’re seeing in the Charlotte area in September. Full story from WBTV

18 Sept 2020

PREVENTING MEDICAL SCAMS: What to know about Covid-19 and Contact Tracing: Scams related to the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, are rapidly increasing as the public health emergency develops. Scammers are targeting older adults and those with serious long-term health conditions who appear to have a higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19.
Full story from The Times

17 Sept 2020

Ask Asa: Covid-19 ‘Catfishing’ scams take a bite of consumers’ wallets: Some people go online for business, others to socialize. Either way, be wary of a virtual fish ready to hook you. It’s called catfishing, a slang term that is also a metaphor. Catfish can be caught in lines, nets, or even by hand. They are sometimes used to churn the water to keep fish in storage tanks in a constant state of agitation.
Full story from WJCL22ABC

BBB warns free COVID-19 relief funds could be grant scam: Authorities are warning residents of a grant scam that claims to give victim’s free COVID-19 relief funds.The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office said it has recently received several reports of scams, including the grant scam.
Full Story from woodTV8 

5 scams spreading online that can cost you thousands: You may have noticed that the number of robocalls slowed down when the pandemic hit. As call centers reopen around the world, robocalls are increasing. Tap or click here for proven ways to stop annoying robocalls for good. Scammers have gotten more sinister. Here are five scams that are spreading now.
Full story from USA Today 

11 Sept 2020

A new coronavirus scam targets people who’ve ‘violated quarantine’: On September 8th, as the daily coronavirus case count ticked up to 28,550, the executive editor of The Verge received a strange email. “TC Sottek: We would like to inform you that you have been recorded as leaving your home on 3 occasions yesterday. A fine of $59 has been added to your gov.us account.
Full story from The Verge 

Florida lost more than $6M to COVID-19 fraud, new study shows: AMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Florida consumers have lost millions of dollars to coronavirus fraud, according to a new study.After analyzing data from the Federal Trade Commission, The Ascent identified which states have been hit the hardest by coronavirus fraud. It found Florida is the 10th most-targeted state in the nation for COVID-19 fraud.
Full Story from News Channel 8.

10 Sept 2020

Better Business Bureau warns of COVID-19 scams targeting college students: GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Better Business Bureau wants college students to be on the alert for COVID-19 scams. Research shows younger people aged 20 to 30 lose money to fraud more often than older consumers. The email encourages students to click on a portal link to get a message about a COVID-19 economic stimulus check. After clicking on the link, students are required to submit a university login.
Full story from WFMYNews2

7 Sept 2020

COVID-19: Alert Issued For Scam Involving Facebook Friends Pushing Fake Grants: The Better Business Bureau issued an alert regarding a scam involving the social media giant that has become more prevalent in recent weeks. The message describes a COVID-19 relief grant, with scammers claiming to have already applied and received thousands of dollars. The scams are not limited to social media, as some have also received similar claims through phone calls and text messages.
Full story from The Daily Voice New York

1 Sept 2020

Watch for costly mortgage scams during COVID-19 pandemic:The COVID-19 pandemic continues to take millions of dollars from consumers. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the total loss in scams since the pandemic started for consumers is an estimated $124 million.Out of that money lost, North Carolina consumers account for $3.82 million. The average an NC consumer lost to a scam is $346, according to the FTC. One robocall that is aimed at taking your money involves the promise to get you a lower mortgage rate.
Full story from ABC1

30 Aug 2020

Brooklyn Center Police warns the public about COVID-19 phishing scam on Facebook and WhatsApp: The Brooklyn Center Police Department is warning the public of COVID-19 phishing scams popping up on WhatsApp or Facebook. According to authorities, these messages on WhatsApp and Facebook are offering people free help with money during the pandemic, but it;s actually a phishing scam.
Full story from KSTP

29 Aug 2020

Beware of COVID-19 contact tracing scams: As the novel coronavirus continues to make its way back and forth across the country, scams related to COVID-19 continue to multiply. Fake contact tracing has added to the growing list of ways to take advantage of people. Oklahoma has been seeing a spike in the number of cases of the virus as businesses begin to open up across the state.
Full story from The Express-Star

28 Aug 2020

Federal Agency warns Vermoneters to watch out for scams related to COVID-19 recovery: The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a warning this week for Vermonters to be wary of scammers targeting people affected by the coronavirus pandemic. “These criminals often pretend to be in the government, contacting people by robocall, text message, email or social media,” FEMA stated in a news release.
Full story from Burlington Free Press

26 Aug 2020

UC San Diego reports rise in COVID-19 social media scams involving fake treatments, testing kits: From March to May 2020, we have identified nearly 2,000 fraudulent postings likely tied to fake COVID-19 health products, financial scams, and other consumer risk. During the pandemic, social media platforms have played a major role in conveying information from health care leaders and government officials to communities about how to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Full story from CBS8

25 Aug 2020

Expert tips: Some COVID-19 scams you need to be aware of: Officials are reporting a huge spike in fraud complaints due to COVID-19. More than 170,000 reports have been filed nationwide and as the pandemic evolves, so do the scams you need to watch out for.
Full story from 6ABC

20 Aug 2020

How To Tell A Real Covid-19 Contact Tracer’s Call From A Scammer’s: State officials and federal agencies warn there’s a new phone scam circulating: Callers posing as COVID-19 contact tracers are trying to pry credit card or bank account information from unsuspecting victims. The grifters apparently are taking advantage of a genuine public health intervention that is crucial to stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus: contact tracing.
Full story from NPR

12 Aug 2020

80% of Money Lost in Sweepstakes, Lottery, and Prize Schemes Is from Consumers over 65, BBB Reports: Sweepstakes, lottery and prize scams have not lessened their financial and emotional harm, despite concerted law enforcement efforts, according to the latest data from Better Business Bureau (BBB), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Full story form KADN/KLAF

Justice Department Acts To Shut Down Fraudulent Websites Exploiting The Covid-19 Pandemic: The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that it has obtained a Temporary Restraining Order in federal court to combat fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  The enforcement action, filed in Tampa, Florida, is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts prioritizing the detection, investigation, and prosecution of illegal conduct related to the pandemic.
Full release from The U.S. Department of Justice

Malicious Cyber Actor Spoofing COVID-19 Loan Relief Webpage via Phishing Emails: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is currently tracking an unknown malicious cyber actor who is spoofing the Small Business Administration (SBA) COVID-19 loan relief webpage via phishing emails. These emails include a malicious link to the spoofed SBA website that the cyber actor is using for malicious re-directs and credential stealing.
Full alert from CISA

NHS hit with wave of scam emails at height of COVID-19 pandemic: NHS Digital said its cybersecurity teams were working hard to keep patient data secure as attackers continued to target under-pressure services.
Full story from ZDNet

11 Aug 2020

Americans, who have lost $100 million to fraud related to Covid-19, continue to be a target: Americans should be wary of fraud as Washington lawmakers debate the contours of another round of potential financial relief, according to an alert issued Tuesday by the Federal Trade Commission.
Full story from CNBC

7 Aug 2020

Scammers could be targeting unemployment benefits in California, state warns: To accommodate the demand, the Employment Development Department has been forced to dedicate a large portion of its staff to processing claims, and just 27 sworn officers are assigned to investigate fraudulent applications.
Full story from the Los Angeles Times

3 Aug 2020

Beware of COVID-19 Contact-Tracing Scams: Nita is a Santa Monica resident who received an unsettling phone call last week – the caller said that someone diagnosed with COVID-19 had identified her as someone the person had close contact with before receiving the positive test result.
Full story from the City of Santa Monica

Beware of Robocalls, Texts and Emails Promising COVID-19 Cures or Fast Stimulus Payments: Coronavirus scams are spreading nearly as fast as the virus itself. As of Aug. 2, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had logged more than 152,000 consumer complaints related to COVID-19 and stimulus payments, two-thirds of them involving fraud or identity theft. Victims have reported losing $97.4 million, with a median loss of $272.
Full story from AARP 

31 July 2020

Be on guard against coronavirus-related ID scams: Scammers are using COVID-19 to steal your personal information. These scams have taken many forms, including phishing e-mails that appear to come from the World Health Organization. They try to extract your information by requiring you to log in to this fake alert.
Full story from Observer-Reporter

29 July 2020

BBB Scam Alert: Want a COVID-19 test? There’s a scam for that: Some new studies show that up to 50% of people with COVID-19 don’t show any symptoms, so many people are wondering if they had the disease without knowing it. Fortunately, an antibody test can identify if your body has already fought off the virus. Unfortunately, scammers are cashing in on demand and creating phony tests, according to BBB Scam Tracker reports. Full story from the Better Business Bureau

27 July 2020

Fraud, ID theft in Colorado have shifted during coronavirus: A flood of federal relief overwhelmed outdated government systems as fraudsters exploited cracks with data likely stolen long ago. But don’t give up on protecting personal data, say security pros.
Full story from the Colorado Sun

21 July 2020

The top digital COVID-19 scams: New research from TransUnion’s  Consumer Financial Hardship studies found that phishing is the top digital fraud scheme worldwide related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among consumers reporting being targeted with digital COVID-19 schemes globally, 27% said they were hit with pandemic-themed phishing scams.
Full story from Security Magazine

16 July 2020

Major US Twitter accounts hacked in Bitcoin scam: Billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates are among many prominent US figures targeted by hackers on Twitter in an apparent Bitcoin scam.
Full Story from BBC

5 July 2020

Watch out for grandparent scams during COVID-19: The Better Business Bureau advises consumers to be on the lookout for scammers preying on senior citizens by posing as grandchildren in need of emergency funds.
Full story from the Tyler Morning Telegraph

24 June 2020

The IRS won’t call about your stimulus money: Most people have already gotten their economic stimulus payments, but the Internal Revenue Service is still sending them out. If you haven’t gotten yours yet or have questions about it, the IRS has a number you can call to get answers to common questions, but the IRS won’t be calling you. Scammers pretending to be from the government can rig up caller ID to look like a call is coming from the government.
Full Story from the FTC

14 June 2020

Hanceville man warns of online car buying scam: James Lamont says looking back, he knew it was too good to be true. But he needed a car and the seller had a sad story about why she was selling it below market price.. U.S. Attorney Jay Town said the car buying scam has been around for a while, but now, because of COVID-19, even more people are doing on-line purchases.
Full Story from The Cullman Times

Ready for a vacation as N.J. reopens? Here’s how to avoid summer rental scams: Pent up demand from the coronavirus shutdown means you might have trouble making the reservations you want. That, in turn, might lead you to jump on a deal, even if it sounds too good to be true. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, summer house rental scams were all too common.
Full Story from The Jersey Journal

12 June 2020

Attorney general warns of COVID-19 grant scam targeting seniors: Attorney General Ashley Moody is issuing a Consumer Alert to warn Floridians about a new scam targeting seniors with offers of fake COVID-19 grants. The Florida Attorney General’s Office is receiving reports from seniors offered thousands of dollars in federal grant money to stay isolated at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Scammers are contacting seniors via Facebook Messenger, email and text message to offer these sham grants and request upfront payment as insurance for the expedited delivery of grant money.
Full Story from Wink News

11 June 2020

Online Shopping Scams Top List Of Coronavirus-Related Fraud Reports In California: Online scams related to COVID-19 are the number one complaint from California consumers, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Most of the complaints involve reports about items not arriving on time or not at all. Some items, when they do arrive are different than advertised.
Full Story from CBS13 Sacramento

10 June 2020

New coronavirus scam: How to spot bogus contact tracing texts, emails and calls: Don’t panic if you get a phone call, text message or email from someone who says they’re a public health official warning that you may have been exposed to the coronavirus. It may be a scam.
Full Story from The Morning Call

8 June 2020

IRS Warns On COVID-19 Scams Involving Stimulus Checks, Fake Cures & More: With many businesses closed and taxpayers still waiting on stimulus checks, scammers are capitalizing on the shaky economic climate to cheat and steal. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is reminding taxpayers to be on guard against tax fraud and other related financial scams related to the pandemic.
Full Story from Forbes

5 June 2020

Beware these common scams that specifically target seniors: Scammers gravitate to tightened finances like moths to a flame. To complicate matters, shelter-in-place restrictions have pushed people to make more online transactions. That means new opportunities for fraudsters to take advantage of seniors who may be new digital accountholders.
Full Story from CNBC

4 June 2020

Stimulus Check Calls, Bogus COVID-19 Tests: Scammers Get Tech-Savvy: Carolyn Peterson, who has been dutifully paying her power bill on time for 43 years, knew something was wrong when the caller said she was three months’ past due.
Full Story from Spectrum News

3 June 2020

New COVID-19 scam targets college students: A new scam involves an email, which claims to be from the financial department of your college or university. The email tells you to click on a link to get a message about your COVID-19 economic stimulus check. The email goes on to say the link needs to be opened through a portal requiring your college or university login.
Full Story from CBS 13 On Your Side WGME

2 June 2020

New scams emerge in wake of COVID-19, prompting local concerns, prevention efforts: he spread of COVID-19 is sparking a bevy of new scams, as opportunistic fraudsters seek to take advantage of new federal programs and manipulate concerned citizens. The U.S. Department of Justice recently released a list containing more than a dozen fraudulent schemes tied to the pandemic.
Full Story from the Telegraph Herald

29 May 2020

Phishing scams in the time of COVID-19: Using both fear and financial incentives to convince users to respond, these scams run the gamut, from impersonating various government agencies to soliciting donations to pretending to have information about government stimulus payments.
Full Story from Maryland Daily Record

Five Data Breaches that Put Victims at Greater Risk of COVID-19 Scams: Amid widespread predictions that COVID-19 will generate a wave of financial and identity crime, Breach Clarity today released analysis of recent data breaches that identifies risk for COVID-19 scams.
Full Press Release from Breach Clarity

28 May 2020

FTC warns of COVID-19 scams targeting college students: Hey college students: Even though you’re likely far from campus, scammers are still trying to find you, the Federal Trade Commission warns. Maybe you or your friends have gotten an email claiming to be from the “Financial Department” of your university. The email tells you to click on a link to get a message about your COVID-19 economic stimulus check — and it needs to be opened through a portal link requiring your university login.
Full Story from News4JAX

Social Security fraud boosted by COVID-19 fears: Social Security fraud was already a problem when the global COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States early this spring. But now fraudsters have added brand-new ploys involving the public health crisis to exploit unsuspecting victims.
Full Story from Journal of Accountancy

Jackson County warns people about fake COVID-19 test result calls: Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse said Thursday one of the multiple coronavirus scams going around has hit the county. He said a few people in Jackson County have gotten robocalls claiming the person being called needs to call a specific phone number to get more information about their COVID-19 test results.
Full Story from KSNT News

27 May 2020

Scammers are looking to take advantage of COVID-19 by posing as contact tracers: North Carolina is hiring hundreds of people to track down people possibly exposed to the coronavirus. These contact tracers are an important part of the reopening of the state, and scammers are jumping in on the action. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein says there is an email scam involving contact tracers.
Full Story from ABC11

‘It all looked legit’ ⁠— Online purchase scams continue, a consequence of COVID-19: They moved from Springfield three years ago, and this year like many lakeside dwellers the Harrolds wanted to buy a golf cart. It’s just easier to get from the house to the dock by riding one, Vicki Harrold said. Meanwhile, she said she’s been shopping online more than usual lately, a consequence of spending more time at home due to the ongoing pandemic. And that’s how Harrold found herself victimized by an online purchase scam this week, to the tune of $1,000.
Full Story from Springfield News-Leader

25 May 2020

Department of Labor warns of unemployment scams: The Alabama Department of Labor is warning unemployment compensation recipients to beware of scammers who may be seeking to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits. These individuals or groups may represent themselves as legitimate entities and will promise that they can obtain unemployment compensation benefits on a claimant’s behalf. They may try to charge a fee for this service.
Full Story from The Cullman Times

23 May 2020

Yolo County warns of charity scams during coronavirus pandemic: Many charities have stepped up to help the communities they serve in ways they never have before during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately scammers are using counterfeit appeals, fake charities and fabricated causes to swindle donations from good-hearted people, according to a release from the county.
Full Story from the Woodland Daily Democrat

22 May 2020

Utility scams on rise during COVID-19 pandemic: With many people staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are close to their phones. That’s giving scam callers a target-rich environment, especially when it comes to utility scams.
Full Story from WGAL News 8 On Your Side

21 May 2020

Coronavirus-related scam costs Central Florida woman $6,000: A Central Florida sheriff is issuing a warning after a woman lost $6,000 in a coronavirus-related scam. Officials with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said the victim spotted an online ad in which a person was offering a work from home job with great pay “during a world pandemic.”
Full Story from WESH Orlando

Rental scams using COVID-19 now in the Treasure Valley: Rental scammers are targeting those searching for a residence in the Treasure Valley. The Meridian Police Department has received four reports just this week involving rental scams. Typically, scammers copy legitimate rental ads and post them on platforms such as Zumper or Letgo, posing as the owners.
Full Story from KIVI Idaho News 6

Fraudsters are posing as nurses on dating sites to con people out of money in COVID-19 scam: Criminals are posing as nurses on dating sites in order to take advantage of unsuspecting victims during the coronavirus crisis.
Full Story from Yahoo!

20 May 2020

Columbus woman working from home targeted by prepaid gift card scam: A Columbus woman is warning everyone working from home to be on alert for thieves trying to steal your cash. “It’s really upsetting, it really is,” said Tyara who asked not to be identified after she spent hundreds of dollars for prepaid cards after getting a bogus email from her boss while she was working from home.
Full Story from ABC6 On Your Side

Why your phone is suddenly bombarded with scam calls, how to stop it: Our phones are ringing and now more than before the coronavirus pandemic, it can be a robocall or scam. A new survey of four thousand people points to a spike in these calls, and even a feeling of harassment. with people getting more than three attacks a day.
Full Story from KOKH FOX25

Health care providers not immune to cyberattacks during COVID-19 pandemic: Health systems, hospitals and office practices have been relying more on technology and digital tools during the COVID-19 pandemic in ramping up telehealth and engaging staff in teleworking. Making technology more convenient brings an inherent risk of reduced security. In health care settings, this can result in a breach of protected health information or financial information.
Full Story from AAP News

Job Seekers Beware: Online employment scams risky, BBB Says: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic’s destructive impact on the U.S. economy has landed millions of workers in the unemployment line. Compounding the situation, social distancing has forced work online in many industries. Better Business Bureau warns job seekers to use caution when job-hunting online, as online employment scams are rampant.
Full Story from WSILTV

19 May 2020

Text message offering free groceries from Target amid coronavirus pandemic is fake: A text message claiming Target is giving away free groceries due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is reportedly making the rounds — but warning: It’s a scam.
Full Story from Q13 Fox

Better Business Bureau warns of quarantine puppy ‘scam’: Across the country, people buy puppies online daily and scammers know they are capitalizing on the coronavirus pandemic. One couple believed they were getting a special breed at a great price; however, they were scammed.
Full Story from WATE6 On Your Side

Are You on Medicare? Beware Coronavirus Scammers: It’s still difficult to get tested for the coronavirus disease in many parts of the country. So, it’s not surprising to learn that scammers are exploiting the shortage, and they’re targeting seniors in particular.
Full Story from MoneyTalksNews

Spoofed Website Templates Help Spread COVID-19 Scams: Fraudsters are now using numerous spoofed website templates with COVID-19 themes as part of phishing attacks designed to steal login credentials and banking data, according to security firm Proofpoint.
Full Story from BankInfoSecurity

ODH warns of scammers pretending to be COVID-19 contact tracers: According to ODH, a group of scammers are preying on Ohio residents, calling people and claiming to be COVID-19 contact tracers. They’ll tell people they may have been exposed to the virus, and then ask for personal information.
Full Story from Fox 8

16 May 2020

COVID-19 scams high for veterans and military: U.S. service members and veterans should take particular notice, because these fraudsters have tailored their fake pitches to mix the pandemic with top concerns of those who’ve worn a military uniform.
Full Story from Wyoming News

15 May 2020

Social media-related scams on the rise as people spend more time online during COVID-19 pandemic: Hundreds of online COVID-19 scams were recently thwarted by the Justice Department, and one cybersecurity firm said it’s tracking “record-breaking” levels of cybercriminal activity. Another security group said they are seeing social media scams on the rise, and is warning people to watch what they post as everyone spends more time at home and online.
Full Story from ABC7 Chicago

COVID-19 scams target bank accounts, stimulus checks, puppies: The COVID-19 crisis has con artists cooking up even more schemes than you might imagine. How about this one? A consumer recently received an email from someone claiming to be from their financial institution. And the bank claimed that, somehow, the customer’s banking information was not accurate and was creating trouble with the deposit of the Economic Impact Payment.
Full Story from the Detroit Free Press

14 May 2020

Mobile Police warn about gift card scammers: The Mobile Police Department Financial Crimes Unit wants citizens to be aware of the latest scam that involves payment for merchandise using gift cards. Anyone who demands payment by gift card is always a scammer, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Full Story from NBC 15 WPMI

Police warn of contact tracing scams in Washington: As Washington state gears up to track the spread of the coronavirus, there’s a new warning about people posing as contact tracers. Public health professionals perform case investigations and contact tracing to help slow and prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as the coronavirus. Olympia police tweeted that scammers are now posing as contact tracers to get sensitive information.
Full Story from Fox 13

Fake COVID-19 Cryptocurrency Emerges Promising to Gain Value with Each Death: A new report reveals exponential growth in the number of phishing and website scams leveraging the COVID-19 pandemic, including websites peddling fake COVID-19 cryptocurrencies and crypto wallets that aim to siphon data for phishing. One site even claims the value of its crypto coin increases with each death from the virus.
Full Story from Security Boulevard

13 May 2020

Virtual Currency Scams Exploiting COVID-19 Wide Scale Asserts FinCEN Chief Blanco: Many virtual currency payment scams are exploiting COVID-19, from extortion, ransomware, and the sale of fraudulent medical products, to initial coin offering investment scams, which will likely continue to grow during the pandemic, asserted Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Director Ken Blanco today.
Full Story from Forbes

12 May 2020

AARP Survey Finds Majority of Americans Using Payment Apps Unaware of Danger Posed by Scammers: While the platforms are convenient, the difficulty of recovering funds sent through them makes the technology, and those who use it, uniquely vulnerable to scammers. This may especially be the case as more people use delivery services for groceries and other necessities during the coronavirus pandemic.
Full Story from AARP

Hackers are impersonating Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet for phishing scams: Hackers have registered domains posing as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet-related URLs, according to a new report from Check Point Research. As significantly more people are using these videoconferencing services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the domains could be used to pose as official links, potentially tricking people into downloading malware or accidentally giving a bad actor access to personal information.
Full Story from The Verge

Government and home improvement scams increase during pandemic: With temperatures warming up for the summer and more people staying home because of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important you do your research before hiring anyone to do a home renovation project.
Full Story from WDBJ7

11 May 2020

California DSS warns of fake letter that threatens removal of kids over COVID-19 testing: The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is warning residents of a fake letter circulating social media claiming that recipients of the state’s government assistance program including MediCal and CalFresh will lose their benefits if they do not submit to mandatory COVID-19 testing.
Full Story from Fox 11

Travel and vacation scams cost consumers more than $10.6 million, FTC says: Since the beginning of this year, according to the Federal Trade Commission, US consumers have been scammed out of more than $28 million. Travel and vacation complaints top the list with most reports. The FTC has received over 6,600 travel-related consumer fraud complaints, which total $10.6 million dollars in losses across the country.
Full Story from WTVD

Work-At-Home scam risks during COVID-19 crisis: Thieves are using online job offers to steal personal information – and to lure people into counterfeit check schemes.
Full Story from Kare 11

Job Hunting Scams Amid COVID-19 Pandemic: With over 22 million Americans filing for unemployment as of April 16, 2020, the job market has never been busier.  Unfortunately, that means job scams are on the rise as well. Since the COVID-19 global pandemic hit in December, the Better Business Bureau has reported more than 13,000 job listing scams in North America alone.
Full Story from Forbes

RG&E warns customers of scams threatening to cut service: Rochester Gas and Electric is urging customers to be on alert for a scam after reports of people posing as energy company representatives over the phone.
Full Story from WXXI News

10 May 2020

BBB warns of fake retail coupons circulating social media: According to the BBB, with major occasions such as graduations, weddings, and Father’s Day approaching, seeing an increase in coupons for deals at top retailers is rather common. However, scammers are also using social networks — especially Facebook — to offer counterfeit coupons that may serve to generate extra website hits, steal identities, or download malware onto devices.
Full Story from WFXR

New Philadelphia police warn public about new real estate scam circulating in the area: New Philadelphia police are warning the public about a new real estate scam circulating in the area. According to the department, scammers find local ads and photos for real rental properties and then create a new ad with the information.
Full Story from Fox 8 News

9 May 2020

Tech support scam warning amid COVID-19: More people are online amid COVID-19 and scammers are taking advantage of it, pretending to be tech support when a computer “fails”.
Full Story from News 4 San Antonio

8 May 2020

Minnesota Fake Auto Dealer Scams Take on COVID-19 Twist: Better Business Bureau® of Minnesota and North Dakota has identified at least seven fake auto dealer and shipper websites in Minnesota that consumers say are scamming them out of thousands of dollars.
Full Story from KTOE Radio

7 May 2020

Scammers Use Coronavirus Fear In New Ways To Take Your Money: Cyber criminals are using the confusion and chaos surrounding federal relief payments to either steal those payments, or to take money from you to help you apply for those payments. Those same scammers are working with hackers to send out emails spoofing federal agencies while also delivering malware.
Full Story from Forbes

COVID-19 Uncertainties Fuel Ransomware Attacks and Phishing Schemes: COVID-19 has slowed the economy down, but hackers are busy as usual—looking to take advantage of the pandemic to breach systems, steal data, and profit by holding both systems and data hostage.
Full Story from Security Boulevard

Businesses: Beware of COVID-19 email compromise scams: Palo Alto Networks has found 10 separate coronavirus-themed business email compromise campaigns, and all can be tied back to a single Nigerian group called SilverTerrier.
Full Story from TechRepublic

6 May 2020

Flathead job placement professional warns of COVID-19 job scams: Officials say scammers are taking advantage of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and posting fake job postings as many people continue to struggle with unemployment.
Full Story from KPAX

5 May 2020

FBI warns of increased number of cryptocurrency-related scams during coronavirus: The FBI announced that they are expecting a rise in scams involving cryptocurrency-related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Full Story from ABC News 8 in Tulsa, OK

Feds, R.I. State Police investigating hundreds of unemployment fraud claims: State and federal authorities are investigating allegations of hundreds if not thousands of fraudulent unemployment insurance claims submitted to the state Department of Labor and Training for stimulus benefits.
Full Story from the Providence Journal

Dayton police warn people of new scam amid pandemic: Dayton’s Financial Crimes Detectives have noticed that a new coronavirus related scam has surfaced and they are cautioning citizens against giving out personal information. The scam is connected to easyfoodstamps.com and two other apps known as FreshEBT and GiveDirectly.
Full Story from WHIOTV

4 May 2020

Deputies warn Charleston County residents of jury duty scam: Charleston County deputies are warning residents about another scam going around over the phone. Officials stated that scam artists are pretending to be law enforcement officers collecting fines for missing jury duty.
Full Story from ABC News 4

Housing scam becomes more believable during COVID-19 pandemic: 13 WREX obtained emails between an interested renter and a scammer pretending to own one of VanderHeyden’s properties. The scammer stated COVID-19 would prevent the buyer from being able to see the property.
Full Story from 13 WREX

Coronavirus and your student loan debt: If you have student loan debt, you’ve probably heard that the new Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act gives some flexibility to federal student loan borrowers. Understanding these options can help you make more informed decisions about paying your bills and prioritizing your debts.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

3 May 2020

Facebook extortion scam resurfaces in Weld County: Weld County residents have recently been targeted by an old internet scam threatening the release of a private and embarrassing video, according to a news release from the Weld County Sheriff’s Office.
Full Story from the Greeley Tribune

Alert Issued For Scam Involving Blackmail Threat Over Release Of Private Video: There have been reports of a new scam that involves an email from a scammer to a victim claiming that they are in possession of recorded webcam footage of the victim watching pornography.
Full Story from the Harrison Daily Voice

30 April 2020

VEA warns members of past-due accounts scam: Valley Electric Association is warning members about scams involving allegedly past due accounts. VEA said there have been calls warning members that their accounts are past due and that they need to pay to avoid being disconnected. But VEA noted in a letter to members that it has an automated calling system that alerts past due accounts that the balance needs to be paid.
Full Story from Pahrump Valley Times

29 April 2020

COVID-19 could cause rise in bereavement scams: The FBI says bereavement scams, in which scammers target grieving families, are not something new. Nearly 59,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the United States. That’s what FBI agents say could trigger a resurfacing of bereavement scams.
Full Story from KFOX14

7 Fraud Predictions in the Wake of the Coronavirus: An unprecedented global virus outbreak is just what the cyberfraudster ordered. Confusion, chaos, and abrupt changes in digital user behavior can help the sharp-minded cybercriminal exploit the current crisis to prey on unsuspecting victims.
Full Story from DarkReading

Scam emails demand Bitcoin, threaten blackmail: reports of Bitcoin blackmail scams have taken a big jump in the last few weeks. The emails say they hacked into your computer and recorded you visiting adult websites. They threaten to distribute the video to your friends and family within hours, unless you pay into their Bitcoin account.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

Cyberscammers: Pay Up or We’ll Infect Your Family With Coronavirus: The NYPD is on alert over a sick COVID-19 blackmail scheme where unsuspecting people are targeted online by scammers who threaten to infect their families with the coronavirus if they refuse to pay the fraudsters money or cryptocurrency.
Full Story from The Daily Beast

28 April 2020 

‘I was shocked, infuriated’: Women receive false unemployment claims in their name: Shocked and confused. That’s how Breanne Wilson, a local X-ray technician, said she felt when she received notice about an unemployment claim in her name that she never filed.
Full Story from NBC10

Warning! These shipping emails from FedEx and UPS are fakes: As inconvenient as shipping delays are, that’s nothing compared to the pain scammers are inflicting on people. By masquerading as FedEx, UPS and other shipping companies, these crooks are easily tricking their victims into handing over personal data.
Full Story from Kim Komando

Bogus Message Claims Victims Need To Fill Out Census To Get Stimulus Check: In the latest digital scam, crooks are looking to use the U.S. Census to get their hands on COVID-19 stimulus money intended for unsuspecting victims.
Full Story from CBS Chicago

Scam emails targeting Catholics: An email scam is targeting members of the Richmond Catholic Diocese. According to a release, the diocese says members have received emails from scammers who are impersonating Bishop Barry Knestout.
Full Story from CBS19 News

27 April 2020

COVID-19 cyber scams: What small businesses need to know: According to a report by Microsoft, every country in the world has seen at least one COVID-19-themed cyberattack. Because the uncertainty and fear around the pandemic is creating new opportunities for cybercriminals, it’s important to be aware of the most common attacks your small business may experience.
Full Story from the Idaho State Business Journal

Scammers take new approach to classic utility scam amid COVID-19: You hopefully already know by this point that scammers have been taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic for one of their classic calls: threatening to turn your utilities off. Utility scams typically demand immediate payment and threaten service disconnection if you fail to cooperate or question the caller’s legitimacy.
Full Story from WHSV

Yolo County District Attorney Warns Of COVID-19 ‘Sextortion’ Scam: Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig is warning people who are staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic about a “sextortion” scam seen online recently. With many more people on the internet right now it’s more likely to happen you or someone you know.
Full Story from NewsRadio KFBK

Rise in unemployment ID theft as scammers try to take advantage of COVID-19: A global pandemic means everyone on the planet knows about COVID-19. The Identity Theft Resource Center says for scammers- this is like the Super Bowl, the World Series, the World Cup and the NBA Finals all rolled into one. And now, federal unemployment benefits are top targets.
Full Story from KOMO News

24 April 2020

FTC sends COVID-related warnings to MLM companies: A business opportunity that promises you can work from home, earn lots of money, and enjoy a lavish lifestyle? Sounds tempting, particularly now, when so many people are out of work because of the Coronavirus pandemic. But letters the FTC sent today to ten multi-level marketing (MLM) companies are a reminder to research an MLM business before investing your money and your time.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

23 April 2020

Better Business Bureau getting reports of ‘puppy scam with a COVID twist’: Now may seem like an opportune time to get a new pet but the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is issuing a warning about a “puppy scam with a COVID twist.”
Full Story from WPRI 12

22 April 2020 

As more musicians turn to livestreaming as a way to connect with fans and raise money, scammers are seizing the opportunity to steal information: Livestream scams aren’t entirely new; YouTube has been dealing with them for years. But as more and more musicians turn to livestreaming as a way to connect with fans and raise money while anticipated touring revenue has dried up, scammers are seizing the opportunity to solicit personal information from unsuspecting victims.
Full Story from Alive

FCC warns of text scam offering $30k in coronavirus relief: ‘This program doesn’t exist’: Scammers are using “hoax text message campaigns and scam robocalls” to prey on consumers during the coronavirus epidemic, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Among these scams is a text claiming to be from the “FCC Financial Care Center” offering people $30,000 in Covid-19 relief, but no such program exists.
Full Story from Newsweek

Veterans targeted by scam artists: Unfortunately, the coronavirus, and the worldwide harm it is causing, has done nothing to stop fraudsters from attempting to scam veterans for whatever cash and/or financial information that they can swindle. Government agencies, including the FBI, have issued warnings about a rise in such scams.
Full Story from Boulder City Review

Fast-Food Franchises Become Phishing Lures In COVID-19 Scams: Phishing lures using American fast-food franchises and COVID-19 messaging are being used to target personal accounts of U.S. government employees. Some messages offer free meals and coupons. Others suggest that recipients visit sites disguised as online ordering and delivery options.
Full Story from MediaPost

Alice woman personally knows COVID-19 scams are out there: Alice resident Michelle Shields said she bought four discounted N95 masks from an online ad with her credit card in February when the novel coronavirus started popping up globally. She said her masks allegedly were coming from China, but two months later, she still doesn’t have them.
Full Story from KRIS Corpus Christi News

Portland PD warns of a COVID-19 phone scam: The Portland Police Department is warning residents to be aware of a new scam trying to take advantage of fear over the COVID-19 pandemic. The caller tells people their COVID-19 test results are back and ask for their social security number to get the results.
Full Story from Fox 17 in Nashville

21 April 2020

Con artists put new twist on “Grandparent scam” during coronavirus pandemic: Marilyn told ABC 6/FOX 28 that someone claiming to be her grandchild called her at home, saying he had gotten into an accident and was arrested shortly after being given medication to treat COVID-19. The caller on the other end of the phone begged for bail money.
Full Story from ABC 6/Fox 28

20 April 2020

Better Business Bureau says scammers going after unemployed amid pandemic: With unemployment still on the rise due to COVID-19 many people are still trying to file for unemployment. Kelvin Collins with the Better Business Bureau says some unemployment scams work just like the IRS and stimulus checks scams.
Full Story from WGXA-TV

Online Extortion Scams Increasing During the COVID-19 Crisis: The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has seen an increase in reports of online extortion scams during the current “stay-at-home” orders due to the COVID-19 crisis. Because large swaths of the population are staying at home and likely using the computer more than usual, scammers may use this opportunity to find new victims and pressure them into sending money.
Full Press Release from the FBI IC3

FBI Warns of 4 Cryptocurrency Fraud Schemes tied to COVID-19: The Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning that fraudsters are leveraging increased fear and uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic to steal money and launder it through the complex cryptocurrency ecosystem.
Full Story from KCBD

U.S. Secret Service in Partnership with the U.S. Department of Treasury Launch – Know Your U.S. Treasury Check Campaign: The Secret Service in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Treasury is leading the charge to bring awareness to citizens, retailers and financial institutions on how to protect themselves from becoming a victim of easy to detect counterfeit U.S. Treasury Checks.
Full Press Release from the U.S. Secret Service

How To Avoid Rental Fraud Spikes In The Next Recession: According to a Transunion Study, 50% of evictions could have been prevented with the proper fraud detection protocol. At a cost of $7,000-plus per eviction, that’s a significant source of revenue leakage. If that weren’t enough, we can expect the coming recession to increase rental fraud.
Full Story from Forbes

Fake Coronavirus Instructions from the White House: In an email digital fraudsters informed recipients that the IRS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury had decided to push Tax Day off until August 15, 2020. They then instructed users and businesses alike to click on a link in order to view the President’s updated guidelines on the coronavirus.
Full Story from Security Boulevard

Hackers exploit HMRC Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme with phishing email scam: A phishing email scam is already being used to target business owners applying for the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Cyber criminals are exploiting the aid package with a highly realistic bogus email, purporting to be from HMRC.
Full Story From TechRadar

West Orange Township Warns of Texting Scam and False Solicitors: The Township of West Orange advises residents that there are currently no active solicitor permits within the township and no permits are being issued until further notice. Additionally, the township recently became aware of a new text-message scam that has been circulating.
Full Story from TapInto West Orange

19 April 2020

‘Blessing Loom’ Pyramid Schemes Are Resurfacing Amid Coronavirus Pandemic: The scam, which is commonly known as “Blessing Loom,” involves people recruiting new members to pay an entry fee to join some sort of group. The founding member (or person who replaces them) then pockets those fees and bails, while the new members then have to find fresh recruits to continue paying entry fees.
Full Story from Complex

FBI Warns of Emerging Health Care Fraud Schemes Related to Coronavirus Pandemic: Bad actors are selling faked COVID-19 test kits and unapproved treatments through telemarketing calls.
Full Story from Space Coast Daily

Beware of these fake text messages and robocalls going around about the coronavirus: Text messages and robocalls offering testing kits, bogus treatments or financial relief and claiming to be from government agencies have been reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other government agencies.
Full Story from CNN

5 Coronavirus Scams That Target Older Colorado Residents: No matter what the situation, there will always be unscrupulous individuals out there preying on the fears of unsuspecting senior citizens in an attempt to defraud them. With so much attention being given to the coronavirus, it could be very easy to let your guard down and be taken by one of many scams that are currently operating.
Full Story from Kool 107.9 FM in Colorado

17 April 2020

Bogus Vaccines. Fake Testing Sites. Virus Frauds Are Flourishing.: Offers of bogus drugs to prevent or treat coronavirus infection. Websites selling fake vaccines. False promises of speedier receipt of government stimulus checks. This is the new face of fraud.
Full Story from The New York Times

16 April 2020

Scammers are posing as banks to steal stimulus checks, Secret Service warns: The Secret Service and Visa say that, since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, they’ve seen a rise in sophisticated phone scams in which fraudsters imitate victims’ banks to obtain key security information, then drain their accounts.
Full Story from Fortune

Police department warns public to not click links in scam COVID-19 text messages: A police department in Maine is alerting cell phone users of a text message scam involving COVID-19. The Thomaston Police Department posted on its Facebook page a photo of a text message sent from an Indiana area code telling someone they need to self-isolate because they came in contact with someone with the virus.
Full Story from WRDW in Maine

COVID-19 scam is targeting senior citizens: The Federal Trade Commission reports that scammers are using the coronavirus to bait senior citizens. Posing as a grandchild or another relative, the scammer claims he’s in the hospital getting treated for the coronavirus.
Full Story from 3 On Your Side in Arizona

Google saw more than 18 million daily malware and phishing emails related to COVID-19 last week: Google says it saw more than 18 million daily malware and phishing emails related to COVID-19 scams just in the past week. That’s on top of the more than 240 million daily spam messages it sees related to the novel coronavirus, the company says.
Full Story from The Verge

15 April 2020

Coronavirus-Related Spear Phishing Attacks See a Massive 667% Increases in March: Researchers at security vendor Barracuda report an unsettling uptick in the number of attacks seen last month. Over 9000 phishing attack campaigns were detected in March, versus just over 1100 in February and only 137 in January.
Full Blog from KnowBe4

Here’s why you probably shouldn’t share your old senior photos on Facebook: In an act of social media solidarity with high school seniors who are finishing out their final semester at home, Facebook users are sharing their own senior photos with the hashtag #ClassOf2020. It’s a sweet sentiment, sure, but beware: Your post could help potential hackers crack into your private accounts, according to the Better Business Bureau.
Full Story from CNN

14 April 2020

Coronavirus and your mortgage: Because of the Coronavirus, many people are unable to pay their mortgage. Federal lenders and some private lenders are offering borrowers temporary help, like stopping or delaying foreclosure or modifying the mortgage. If you need help, research the options available to you for getting through these tough times.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

FTC sends more warnings to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments: Last month, the FTC and FDA sent warning letters to seven sellers of unapproved and misbranded products, claiming they can treat or prevent the Coronavirus. Today, the FTC sent warning letters to 10 more companies.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

FBI Warns Rising Cryptocurrency Scams During COVID-19 Pandemic: As cybercriminals continue to exploit the COVID 19 pandemic, the FBI is advising that people be alerted to a spike in COVID-19 related cryptocurrency fraud schemes. The widespread acceptance of cryptocurrency by business and its growing popularity have contributed to the spike in crypto scams.
Full Story from TWJ News

13 April 2020

‘Thinking of sharing your senior photo on Facebook? Think twice!’ warns Better Business Bureau: Shut in from the novel coronavirus, many are turning to trends and challenges on social media to fill the time and keep spirits raised. One popular trend is posting your high school senior year photo as a show of support for the 2020 graduating seniors whose graduations parties and ceremonies are canceled due to the coronavirus. While the trend is meant well, the Better Business Bureau is raising the alarm.
Full Story from WBAL TV

CT State Police warn residents about coronavirus phishing scams: Connecticut State Police are warning residents about coronavirus phishing scams. Troopers said scammers will send emails about financial relief, hotel refunds, fake cures and vaccines, discounted testing kits and fictitious charities.
Full Story from WTNH

Amid coronavirus outbreak, testing and treatment scams spike: Three weeks ago, Lorina’s cellphone rang. Seeing it was a local call, the 61-year-old Riverside resident picked up. A woman’s voice said she was working with Medicare, the national health insurance program, to distribute tests for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. All she needed was Lorina’s name, address and Social Security and Medicare information.
Full Story from the Los Angeles Times

Looking for work after Coronavirus layoffs?: Ads offer a variety of work-at-home jobs – lnternet businesses, shipping or mailing work, selling goods, and more. But many of these “jobs” are scams, aimed at getting your money, and won’t deliver on the claims they make.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

How a ‘scam’ COVID-19 aid effort solicited donations from Duke students on social media: Duke students have organized to provide money and resources to local communities amid the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, a network of now-deleted social media accounts attempted to solicit donations for alleged assistance to the Duke and Durham communities with unclear identities or intentions.
Full Story from The Chronicle at Duke

12 April 2020

Scams for meds, investments, TP roll out: Con artists are finding lots of marks amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Watchdog groups and authorities report a surge of complaints about scams targeting people who fear catching the virus or need money due to lost income.
Full Story from the Lewiston Tribute in New Jersey

11 April 2020

Coronavirus-killing silver, fake tests, CDC impersonators: Feds rush to stamp out scams: Coronavirus fraud has already cost consumers $12 million, and government officials worry it could damage efforts to contain the virus.
Full Story from Politico

10 April 2020

Possible coronavirus scam reported in Leon County: The Florida Department of Health-Leon County warned of a potential local scam that may have been related to the coronavirus pandemic. A caller reported that someone called her home and said they needed to come out to her home and test her and her husband.
Full Story from the Tallahassee Democrat

Americans are losing money to coronavirus scams at a startling rate: Consumers have filed over 15,000 complaints claiming nearly $12 million in losses from COVID-19 related scams, according to a Federal Trade Commission report. More than half of the losses were reported in the first nine days of April, Business Insider reports, indicating a startling shift as the coronavirus crisis continues to spread around the globe. Should the current rate of fraudulent claims continue, Americans could reportedly lose more than $100 million by July.
Full Story from Yahoo! News

Scammers are using COVID-19 messages to scam people: Scammers are experts at shifting tactics and changing their messages to catch you off guard. This is especially true as they take advantage of anxieties related to the Coronavirus. Here’s a quick alert about some current government imposter scams using COVID-19 that are popping up on our radar.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

9 April 2020

Surge in Online Shopping Drives Major Increase in Coronavirus-Themed Fraud Attempts: Attempts to defraud consumers are on the rise, as scammers exploit the surge in online activity during the COVID-19 lockdown. Merchants are starting to suffer dramatic increases in COVID-19-related phishing activities, with stolen credentials released into the eCommerce payments chain, as well as increased friendly fraud activities, according to payment solutions provider ACI Worldwide.
Full Story from Security Boulevard

East Brunswick residents warned of grandparent scam: Imagine getting a call or email from someone claiming a relative is in trouble and needs money for bail, lawyer or hospital bills. The immediate inclination might be to offer help, but East Brunswick police are warning residents the request may be coming from a scam artist.
Full Story from My Central Jersey

Kentucky Lottery warns of uptick in scam phone calls during COVID-19 pandemic: Kentucky Lottery officials are warning of an uptick in scam phone calls since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in which players are told they have won a large cash prize from the organization.
Full Story from the Courier Journal

Suspicious worker avoids becoming scam victim: An administrative assistant at a Lexington insurance firm narrowly avoided losing $800 to a scammer pretending to be her boss in a message to her office email address, according to the Better Business Bureau.
Full Story from WTVQ in Kentucky

Remote learning and children’s privacy: While your child is at home due to coronavirus-related school closures, it’s important to protect their privacy and security online. Learn more about your child’s privacy rights and find resources from the FTC.
Full Story from the Federal Trade Commission

The Pandemic Exploit: Cyber criminals ramping up phishing attacks amid COVID-19 crisis: Cybercrime continues to spike during the coronavirus outbreak. Advisen news provides insights on business continuity plans, preventing breach, and ongoing safety.
Full Story from Advisen Front Page News

8 April 2020

Coronavirus checks: flattening the scam curve: There’s a lot to worry about when it comes to the Coronavirus crisis, including the new ways scammers are using the economic impact payments (so-called “stimulus checks”) to trick people.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

UK and US Security Agencies Issue COVID-19 Cyber Threat Update: A joint advisory published today (April 8, 2020) by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) shows that cyber criminals and advanced persistent threat (APT) groups are targeting individuals and organizations with a range of ransomware and malware.
Full Blog from CISA

FDA warns about at-home COVID-19 test kit scams: The Food and Drug Administration is warning the public about unauthorized test kits that may be marketed to test for COVID-19 at home.
Full Story from ABC7 News in California

7 April 2020

Avoid scams while finding help during quarantine: Older adults may be hard hit by the coronavirus – and scammers prey on that. If you or someone you know must stay at home and needs help with errands, you’ll want to know about this latest scam. Scammers are offering help with errands, and running off with your money.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

Avoiding SSA scams during COVID-19: While some of you are home, practicing social distancing and frequent hand washing to avoid the Coronavirus, remember that scammers are still busy trying to take advantage of people. Some scammers are pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and trying to get your Social Security number or your money.
Full Blog From the Federal Trade Commission

Greensboro woman warns others about employment scam: A Greensboro woman who was recently furloughed without pay wants others to be aware of employment scams.
Full Story from Fox 8 in North Carolina

6 April 2020

Coronavirus-Related Medicare Scam Alert: We’re warning Medicare beneficiaries that scammers may try to use this pandemic to steal their Medicare number, banking information, or other personal data.
Full Blog from the Social Security Administration

FTC Releases COVID-19 Complaints Report: From 1 January to 6 April 2020, the FTC received 12,634 COVID-19 fraud reports and $8.87 million in total reported losses.
Full Report from the Federal Trade Commission

Michigan State Firemen’s Association warns of email scam amid COVID-19 pandemic: On Sunday, a national email phishing scam was distributed in the state, according to the Michigan State Firemen’s Association President Michael McLeieer. The scam requests the recipient to purchase gift cards for preventative items for those affected by the coronavirus disease 2019.
Full Story from WWMT in West Michigan

Beware of donation scams during ongoing Coronavirus outbreak: As the Coronavirus pandemic continues, we’ve seen the good in people with businesses and individuals donating to those in need. Now, officials are urging the public to make sure their money is actually going to a good cause.
Full Story from KOHN2

DOE bans schools using Zoom for remote learning amid security concerns: The city’s Department of Education has barred teachers and administrators from using the video conferencing platform Zoom for remote learning purposes over concerns about security breaches — such as “Zoom-bombers” who hijack the chat rooms.
Full Story from the New York Post

5 April 2020

Scammers are creating Netflix lookalikes to target people staying at home: Scammers are focusing more attention on people looking to stream content from Netflix during what has quickly become the stay-at-home era. Researchers at the cybersecurity security firm Check Point recently released a study noting a substantial rise in the number of cyberattacks performed by websites posing as the streaming giant in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Full Story from USA Today

Scam targets small-business owners seeking payroll relief: U.S. Sen. Susan Collins’ office is warning small-business owners of another emerging scam targeting those who are seeking payroll relief through the new Keeping American Workers Paid and Employed Act.
Full Story from Bangor Daily News

Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force warns of economic relief scammers: The Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) are warning taxpayers to be alert about possible scams relating to COVID-19 economic impact payments.
Full Story from NBC29

Nassau County District Attorney Announces Launch Of Scam Hotline: As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread on Long Island so to do reports of scammers looking to take advantage of the pandemic, prompting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas to take action. Singas announced the creation of Nassau County’s “Coronavirus Scam Hotline,” which will allow area residents to report possible scams to the DA’s Financial Crimes Bureau.
Full Story from the Nassau Daily Voice

WV Attorney General warns of utility scam: West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey urges residents to be wary of scammers who may threaten to shutoff service, even as several public utilities have suspended terminations for nonpayment during the coronavirus pandemic.
Full Story from WOWK 13 News

4 April 2020

Coronavirus pandemic generates new fraud strains: COVID-19 scams on computers, smartphones: Cybercriminals are looking to profit from pandemic fears – using concerns about a human-transmitted virus to spread computer viruses, if you will – with a fresh crop of malicious software and scams. One of the first attacks in mid-March arrived in the form of an email message from what appeared to be the World Health Organization, suggesting you read an attachment with official information on how to protect yourself from the coronavirus.
Full Story from USA Today

3 April 2020

Grandparent scams in the age of Coronavirus: Grandparent scams can take a new twist – and a new sense of urgency – in these days of Coronavirus. Here’s what to keep in mind.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

2 April 2020

IRS Stimulus Check Scams Ramp Up: A PSA from the Identity Theft Resource Center warns consumers that stimulus check scams are in full-swing. Scammers are targeting individuals via robocalls impersonating the IRS.
Full Story from ITRC

Small businesses: Where to go for financial relief information: If you own a small business or work for one, you’ve seen the headlines about financial relief that may be available to some companies through the Small Business Administration (SBA). But you’ve also heard about scammers who extract a grain of truth from the news and distort it in an effort to cheat small businesses. Now more than ever it’s critical for small businesses to go straight to the source for accurate information about what’s happening at the SBA.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

FBI Warns Of Costco Coronavirus ‘Stimulus Check’ Scam: Text messages claiming to offer “goodies” from big box chain Costco as part of a “COVID-19 stimulus package” for the store’s “loyal customers” are not only fraudulent, but they also include links that may contain malware or ransomware, the FBI says.
Full Story from CBS Chicago

BBB says scammers are targeting seniors during COVID-19 pandemic: The Better Business Bureau says seniors are being targeted by scammers who want to take advantage of the COVID-19 situation. The BBB says seniors are being targeted through text messages and emails. They say scammers are posing as the U.S. Department of Health. They tell the victim they need to take a mandatory online COVID-19 test in order to receive the recently approved stimulus payment.
Full Story from WHNT News 19 in Alabama

Don’t be fooled by coronavirus scams — or pay $20 for a four-pack of toilet paper: Opportunity is knocking for crooks looking to profit from the pain and anxiety triggered by the pandemic. Don’t answer their call. From online pitches for bogus COVID-19 vaccinations and home test kits, to fake offers for federal stimulus checks, officials say scammers are out in force trying to take advantage of a nation in crisis.
Full Story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

1 April 2020

Cybercriminals targeting Zoom, Google and Teams domains: The increased video conferencing activity due to COVID-19 has given cybercriminals the opportunity to use typosquatting and URL hijacking by imitating many of the top conferencing platforms.
Full Story from SC Magazine

Coronavirus fraud is so bad the FTC made a scam bingo card: With much of the country in quarantine advised to practice social distancing measures, the risk of scams has spiked. Already, coronavirus-related robocalls have gotten worse as scammers have pivoted to use fear and isolation to their advantage. Things have gotten so bad that the FTC has experimented with other ways to get people to pay attention: like a scam bingo card.
Full Story from Yahoo! Finance

Want to get your Coronavirus relief check? Scammers do too: You’ve probably heard the news by now – the government is sending out relief checks as part of the federal response to the Coronavirus. Scammers heard the same thing, and they’re hoping to cash in on yours.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

The Cybersecurity 202: Coronavirus pandemic unleashes unprecedented number of online scams: Coronavirus has inspired an unprecedented number of online scams targeting people and businesses – and researchers say the wave of attacks is just getting started.
Full Story from The Washington Post

31 March 2020

Cash App scammers are using coronavirus to exploit people: Scammers are using fake Twitter giveaways and payment applications like Cash App, Paypal, Zelle, Venmo, or Apple Pay to lure people into sending them money.
Full Story from Quartz

Cybercriminals Targeting Video Communications Platform Zoom: In a report released March 30, security software firm Check Point found that cybercriminals are targeting the video communications platform Zoom.
Full Story from MeriTalk

La. Secretary of State warns of business owner scam amid COVID-19 crisis: Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin warns business owners of scam circulating that takes advantage of business owners during the COVID-19 crisis.
Full Story from WWL 870am, 105.3fm

‘Its a scam’: Calls, emails, or texts about government stimulus checks are bogus: Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Drew David says criminals are posing as the IRS just days after the federal government announced that it would be distributing stimulus checks to taxpayers as part of a $2 trillion effort to bolster the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Full Story from KLFY in Louisiana

Kentucky Coronavirus Fraud Task Force alerts Kentuckians about scams involving federal COVID-19 stimulus checks: State and federal law enforcement officials from the Kentucky Coronavirus Fraud Task Force alerted Kentuckians March 31 about potential scams involving payments from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress last week.
Full Story from The Paintsville Herald

Butler County officials warn of scams during coronavirus fear, uncertainty: Officials throughout Butler County and Ohio are warning residents to watch out for scams during the time of the coronavirus pandemic when suspects will use fear and uncertainty to seek money.
Full Story from Hamilton Journal News

30 March 2020

60 and over in the time of COVID-19?: Right now, scammers are scuttling out of their dark corners to offer false hope (Home test kits! A cure!) and use fear (Your Social Security number is about to be revoked! Your loved one is in trouble!) – all to get your money or information.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

BlueCross BlueShield warns members of coronavirus scams: BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is warning its members that scammers are taking advantage of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The health insurer said reported scams include unsolicited phone calls that could be an attempt to fraudulently gain personal information.
Full Story from Wate 6 on Your Side in Tennessee

FBI: Coronavirus-related scams are increasing: The FBI says scams are dealing with fake charities, stimulus checks, even counterfeit PPE and sanitizing products.
Full Story from WCNC

28 March 2020

Coronavirus stimulus check scams are out to swindle you out of $1,200: Do not give out your PayPal account information, Social Security number, bank account number or anything else if someone claims such information is essential to sign you up for a stimulus check relating to the coronavirus pandemic. 
Full Story from USA Today

27 March 2020

Socially distancing from COVID-19 robocall scams: Scammers – and scammy companies – are using illegal robocalls to profit from Coronavirus-related fears. Listen to some of the latest scammy robocall pitches, so you can be on the lookout and know how to respond.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

New Coronavirus warning letters: Who can it be now?: In the ongoing battle against Coronavirus scams, FTC staff just sent warning letters to nine companies reminding them of the potential ramifications of behind-the-scenes involvement in illegal COVID-19 promotions.
Full Blog from the Federal Trade Commission

“Mandatory” COVID-19 Test Texts are a Scam: In the past few days, BBB Scam Tracker has gotten numerous reports of phony text messages claiming to be from a government agency.
Full Story from the Better Business Bureau 

26 March 2020

FBI issues warning about COVID-19 stimulus-package scams:Hackers and scammers online have ramped up attacks to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic, and that could mean targeting the US COVID-19 relief effort next, the FBI has warned. .
Full Story from CNET

Default exploited by ‘Zoom bombers’ could be used by cybercrooks: The same default setting that allows attackers to “Zoom bomb” schoolchildren or remote workers meeting online with racist and pornographic content could be used to by cybercriminals to unleash their malicious bag of tricks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full Story from SC Magazine

Brooksville man sounds alarm on fake COVID-19 relief check in mail: A Brooksville man is sounding the alarm after he received what appeared to be a fake relief check in the mail.
Full Story from 8 On Your Side in Florida

25 March 2020

Seven Coronavirus scams targeting your business: We’ve warned consumers about Coronavirus-related scams, but businesses are at risk, too. Keep your guard up against these seven B2B scams that try to exploit companies’ concerns about COVID-19.
Full Story from the Federal Trade Commission

23 March 2020

Scammers are out in full-force as the country grapples with the coronavirus: The attorney general is reporting scammers are telling people that in order to get money passed by congress, citizens must pay an upfront fee.
Full Story from CBS46 News Atlanta

Alma PD Warns Against Loan Forgiveness Scams: The Alma Police Department is warning Michiganders about coronavirus scams. Officers say some phony documents are advertising loan forgiveness programs.
Full Story from 9&10 News in Michigan

22 March 2020

Justice Department Files Its First Enforcement Action Against COVD-19 Fraud: “Attorney General Barr has directed the department to prioritize fraud schemes arising out of the coronavirus emergency.”
Full Story from the US Department of Justice

Scam artists try to take advantage of people during the coronavirus pandemic: Scammers are acting as government officials telling potential victims that they’re there to clean and wipe down their homes, checking for the coronavirus.
Full Story from Fox 10 News Phoenix

District Attorney Warns Residents To Beware Of Coronavirus Email Phishing Scams: The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office is encouraging Santa Clarita residents to watch out for email phishing scams capitalizing on the coronavirus crisis in an effort to protect personal information.
Full Story from KHTS Radio in California

20 March 2020

Attorney General Urges American Public to Report COVID-19 Fraud: William P. Barr urges those targeted by COVID-19 related scams and fraud to report to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF).
Full Story from the US Department of Justice

FBI Sees Rise in Fraud Schemes Related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Scammers are leveraging the COVID-19 pandemic to steal your money, your personal information, or both.
Full PSA from the FBI

BBB Issues Warning About Vaccine Claims, Mask Sales: The Better Business Bureau is warning the public that scammers will try and take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic. Scammers can go after your personal and financial information text messages, social media, email, and phone calls.
Full Story the CBS Boston

US Attorney for Maryland warns of coronavirus fraudsters: If you see an offer for a coronavirus “vaccine” or “cure” that seems too good to be true — it is. That’s the warning from the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s office.
Full Story from WTOP News in Maryland

19 March 2020

Northern Michigan Officials Warn Public About Coronavirus Scams: Attorney General Dana Nessel says scammers are impersonating the Ionia County Health Department, calling to offer medication and asking for Medicaid and Medicare numbers for payment.
Full Story from 9&10 News in Michigan

Government Relief Checks Trigger Latest Coronavirus Scam: The proposed federal stimulus package announced this week includes sending every American a check to offset lost income from the coronavirus crisis. Watch out for these phony government grants that ask for personal and banking information.
Full Blog from the Better Business Bureau

Coronavirus scams: greater risk of being a victim of pension fraud: As investment markets plunge and the government advises more people to stay at home amid the coronavirus crisis, pension savers face a greater risk of being targeted by fraudsters.
Full Story from Money Observer

Scam robocalls are pitching fake coronavirus tests to vulnerable Americans: Every day for the past week, fraudsters have placed an estimated 1 million or more suspected suspicious calls about coronavirus to Americans’ smartphones. The robocalls at times even have pitched fraudulent testing services.
Full Story from The Washington Post

18 March 2020

Alabama Power warns against telephone scam capitalizing on COVID-19 fears: Alabama Power is warning its customers of a phone scam. The company says people are calling over the phone, pretending to be Alabama Power representatives, and demanding immediate payment on accounts.
Full Story from MyNBC15 in Alabama

Beware the pandemic scam: Bowie police warn about fake ‘coronavirus inspector’: A man claiming to be a City of Bowie employee inspecting for coronavirus tried to enter one home and broke into a second, the Bowie Police Department said Tuesday.
Full Story from The Baltimore Sun

COVID-19 Map Malware Can Spy On You Through Your Android Microphone And Camera: Watch out for any links texted to your Android phone promising an app to track coronavirus. Downloading the application will let snoops watch you through your smartphone camera, listen to you through your microphone or pilfer all your text messages.
Full Story from Forbes

Online scammers target vulnerable Internet users during coronavirus outbreak: Online scammers are on the offensive, looking to exploit the fears of vulnerable Internet users anxious for more information about the coronavirus outbreak, according to cybersecurity experts who are tracking current digital threats.
Full Story from ABC News

FTC warns about checks from the government: As the Coronavirus takes a growing toll on people’s pocketbooks, there are reports that the government will soon be sending money by check or direct deposit to each of us. The details are still being worked out, but there are a few really important things to know, no matter what this looks like.
Full Story from the Federal Trade Commission

17 March 2020

Secret Service Warning: Exploiting the Coronavirus for Fraud and Profit: KnowBe4 shares a review of coronavirus-themed spam emails as well as a press release from the US Secret Service.
Full Blog from KnowBe4

Deputies warn of potential COVID-19 scam in Oconee Co.: The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina reported that citizens are receiving calls stating that Medicare participants are eligible for a Coronavirus test kit and, in order to receive the kit, they must provide their personal identifying information, including their Social Security number. If you have shared your Social Security number, visit our Social Security Number Identity Theft page on Fightcybercrime.org for recovery help.
Full Story for 7 News in North Carolina

How to protect yourself against coronavirus scams: Scammers looking to profit off of fears surrounding COVID-19, like setting up websites that sell bogus products claiming to cure the virus.
Full Story from 9 News in Colorado

Police warning citizens after several COVID-19 related scams hit Louisiana: Morehouse Parish Sheriff’s Office warns Louisiana residents about several scams that have been hitting the area since the coronavirus outbreak, including a call from someone stating your family member is exhibiting signs of the coronavirus and is in hospital, but they can’t be seen until a deposit is paid. If you receive a phone call like this, visit our Friends/Family Imposter Scams page on Fightcybercrime.org.
Full Story from KLFY 10 News in Louisiana

16 March 2020

Army, White House Issue Warnings About Coronavirus Hoaxes and Scams: The White House is warning the public to ignore rumors of a national quarantine for the novel coronavirus, which were circulated by text message.
Full Story from Military.com

Coronavirus Map Malware: A fake map impersonating the Johns Hopkins world map installs malware on users’ computers upon clicking. This phishing link is malicious password-stealing. Find the real Johns Hopkins site. For malware recovery resources, visit us atFightcybercrime.org.
Full Blog from KnowBe4 

Password found to rescue victims of malicious COVID-19 tracker app: COVID-19 Android Ransomware threat addressed by cybersecurity and IT community. Password released to rescue victims from malicious software.
Full Story from SC Magazine

27 February 2020

Amazon bars one million products for false Coronavirus claims: Amazon discusses financial purchase scams in the wake of COVID-19. For recovery after a financial purchase scam, visit our resource page.
Full Story from Reuters