Our lives in the past few weeks have experienced significant disruption.
Children are now learning to be home-schooled and many work from home while balancing caring for their health. It is with the top focus of safety and health in mind to stay vigilant about fraud.
Criminals are now taking advantage of the widespread panic to make a quick buck. Financial fraud is rampant and it even includes attempts at Covid-19 tax refund schemes.
International Analytic Software called FICO, continue to work hard every day to protect people from fraud.
Guidance on how to prevent fraud from profiting off panic:
• Do not click links or open attachments from people you don’t know.
• If a company is sending you an email to advise you of their coronavirus response, google the company’s name to.
• Talk to your loved ones and assure them you are safe, and what your plan would be to reach out if you need help.
• Grandparents and others can be tricked into sending payments and draining their savings – don’t let them be.
• Bear in mind fraudsters may be going door to door for scams such as disinfecting homes to gain access to a home.
• Be aware of pandemic-related scams, such as buying face masks, or fake funding sites.
• If you are buying goods online, be careful of the seller’s legitimacy.
Think about how you want to pay for orders and use a trusted mechanism, such as a credit card and PayPal.
Scammers rely on creating a false sense of urgency, be cautious about responding to any offer where there is undue time-related pressure.
