Four Rules to Defend Against COVID-19 Scams

With the current state of the world, it’s hard to believe people would actively try to make it worse, but of course, hackers and scammers never cease! There has been a rise of scammers since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and 

There are several kinds of scams out there - text,  robocalls, email, romance, charity, and more. Scammers typically flow with the headlines, so the messages will seem timely and urgent, pertaining to what is happening right now - but, do not click! That is rule #1. Do not click something you are not familiar with. If it looks suspicious, don’t do it! It’s like stranger danger, but with links. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you receive an odd link from a friend, call them and ask if they sent you something. It’s not uncommon for someone’s social media accounts to be hacked. 

Rule #2: don’t respond. The best thing you can do is nothing. Emails from unknown senders, or texts and calls from unknown numbers should go unanswered and unopened. Delete the message. All it can take it one click to hack your system, or one response to have access to all your data. 

That brings us to rule #3: be careful how you share your financial information. The government will never ask you for your personal information over the phone. Many scammers prey on your financial fears and act as insurance companies trying to “help” you. 

Consumers and small businesses are the easiest targets for scammers and hackers. As a small business, the most common scams you’ll come across are robocalls and email scams. As a consumer, the door opens up to even more possibilities of scams. It’s important to act with common sense. 

Rule #4: use reliable software! If you’re a small business and expect your employees to be doing work from home, you need to set them up with the spyware and reputable software to make sure all your clients’ personal information remains safe. This goes for personal computer use, as well. It’s always better to have protection against hackers than to not. 

If you discover an unknown number or email contacting you and you don’t think it’s safe, the Federal Communications Commission is actively taking complaints. Simply visit FCC.gov/complaints to report your claim.