2 min read
5th June 2020

COVID-19 scams are on the rise

Since we went into lock-down in the United Kingdom, police have seen an increase in corona virus related scams, with one in ten people falling victim to these tactics.

(Source Money Saving Expert )

These scams are designed to exploit your fear and uncertainty, tricking you into parting with your personal details and money.

Follow our top tips for spotting these scams to keep your sensitive information, yours. You can also protect yourself with Cyber Insurance policy.

Types of COVID-19 scams fraudsters are using

Health scams

They send emails that look like they are from health organisations, like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the NHS, offering fake health advice.

Finance scams

Emails pretending to be from your bank or HMRC talking about funding, grants or furloughing.

Refund scams

Emails pretending to be from your airline or holiday company promising fake refunds.

Donation scams

Emails asking you to donate money towards a fake corona-virus vaccine or medical equipment.

How can you protect yourself from fraudsters / scammers

  • Avoid clicking links in emails and messages, especially if you don’t know their origin. 
  • Take your time: Don’t feel pressured to part with your personal information. 
  • Make sure the websites you visit are secure. You can do this by checking the domain bar of your browser to see if the website you visit is HTTPS protected or shows a padlock.
  • Check website and messages for typos, poor grammar and other errors that a legitimate website wouldn’t have. For instance, one text message scam has directed people to a hoax government website offering “COVID-19 Relieve.”
  • Don’t use public WiFi when shopping online. These networks are less secure than your mobile data connection or home WiFi.
  • Only download apps through the Apple App Store or Play Store app. 
  • Don’t share personal or financial information without checking that the service is legitimate. For example, if you receive a call from your bank, you can call them back to check they are real using the number on your bank card or last statement.
  • Report scams immediately to Action Fraud and contact your bank if you’ve lost money. 
  • Regularly check your credit report: You’ll then be able to monitor if someone is trying to use your identity.
  • Get a cyber insurance policy
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