Scam of the Week: Exploiting the Coronavirus: Financial Assistance Scams

While the world continues to navigate life during a pandemic, countless families and individuals are struggling financially. In a truly malicious response to the situation, scammers are launching phishing attacks that claim to offer financial assistance to those in need.The phishing email impersonates your local government and it states that you are eligible to receive financial aid. You’re directed to click a link in the email for more information. If you click the link, you are taken to a phony government website. The site asks for personally identifiable information, including your social security number. Once you’ve provided this information, the site claims that you will be contacted regarding your aid. Don’t be fooled! Anything you enter here is sent directly to the cybercriminals.Here’s how you can stay safe from scams like this:

• Never click on a link in an email that you weren’t expecting. Even if the sender appears to be a legitimate organization, the email address could be spoofed.
• Stay up-to-date on response efforts through official government websites and trusted news sources.
• If you feel the email could be legitimate, use another means of communication to reach out to the sender, such as calling their official phone number—not the one listed in the suspicious email.

Stop, Look, and Think. Don't be fooled.