Emerging fraud risk: COVID-19 scams

March 23, 2020

Fraudsters are exploiting the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus to facilitate various types of fraud and cyber-crime.

Since February 2020, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) has identified 21 reports of fraud where Coronavirus was mentioned, with victim losses totalling over £800k. Ten of these reports were made by victims that attempted to purchase protective face masks from fraudulent sellers. Reporting numbers are expected to rise as the virus continues to spread across the world.

Instances have also been seen where fraudsters have claimed to be from research organisations affiliated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), and have contacted potential victims over email. They claim to be able to provide the recipient with a list of coronavirus-infected people in their area but to access this information, the victim needs to click on a link, which leads to a malicious website, or is asked to make a payment in Bitcoin.

Fraudsters are also sending out coronavirus-themed phishing emails in an attempt to trick people into opening malicious attachments, or revealing sensitive personal and financial details.

Watch out for scam messages:

Don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails, and never respond to unsolicited messages and calls that ask for your personal or financial details.

Shopping online:

If you’re making a purchase from a company or person you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first, and ask a friend or family member for advice before completing the purchase. If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one, as most major credit card providers insure online purchases. For more information on how to shop online safely, please visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/shoponlinesafely

Protect your devices from the latest threats:

Always install the latest software and app updates to protect your personal devices from the latest threats. For information on how to update your personal devices, please visit: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/securing-your-devices

What to do next?

If you have been a victim of personal fraud or cyber-crime, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or online via actionfraud.police.uk

If you have a concern about NHS fraud or bribery, please contact our Local Counter Fraud Specialist, Sophie Coster, on 07436 268747 or via sophie.coster@nhs.net; or report to NHS Counter Fraud Authority on 0800 028 40 60, or via https://cfa.nhs.uk/reportfraud