Coronavirus Related Fraud

Do you know when you have certain moments when words just fail you. I know that doesn’t happen to me too often but these latest scams beggar belief. I’ve already mentioned many times how disgusting the scam alerts published on here are. But this latest scam alert is…..is….well, beyond words. Yes, you will see from the heading that this latest alert is about Coronavirus related fraud.

Just let that sink in for a minute. Not only is the whole world having to contend with such a worrying time in their lives with regard to taking care of themselves and their families health wise, we are now having to be even more vigilant as the never ending opportunist frauds are on the prowl again.

Thanks as ever to local website visitor, John from Blacon, for this latest Cheshire Police scam alert.

So, let’s have a read of these Coronavirus related frauds. Many thanks John, much appreciated. As ever folks, have a good read and wherever you can, spread the word and make others aware. Thanks.

Coronavirus Related Fraud

Here’s the article on Coronavirus related fraud in full…..

Cheshire Police Alert ~ Action Fraud Have Issued A Warning Following the Increase In Coronavirus Related Fraud [315459]

“Recently the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) reported a new trend in fraud related to Coronavirus, or COVID-19. Updated figures show there have been 105 reports to Action Fraud since 1 February 2020. With total losses reaching nearly £970,000.

The majority of reports are related to online shopping scams where people have ordered protective face masks, hand sanitiser, and other products, which have never arrived. Other frauds being reported include ticket fraud, romance fraud, charity fraud and lender loan fraud.

Phishing Emails

Beware of phishing emails – Action Fraud have received over 200 reports of coronavirus-themed phishing emails. These attempt to trick people into opening malicious attachments which could lead to fraudsters stealing people’s personal information, email logins and passwords, and banking details.

Some of the tactics being used in phishing emails include:

• The Fraudsters purporting to be from a research group that mimic the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO). They claim to provide the victim with a list of active infections in their area but to access this information the victim needs to either: click on a link which redirects them to a credential-stealing page; or make a donation of support in the form of a payment into a Bitcoin account.

• Fraudsters providing articles about the virus outbreak with a link to a fake company website where victims are encouraged to click to subscribe to a daily newsletter for further updates.

• Also Fraudsters are sending investment scheme and trading advice encouraging people to take advantage of the coronavirus downturn.

• Fraudsters purporting to be from HMRC offering a tax refund and directing victims to a fake website to harvest their personal and financial details.

The emails often display the HMRC logo making it look reasonably genuine and convincing.

National Economic Crime Centre

Graeme Biggar, Director General of the National Economic Crime Centre, said: “We have already seen fraudsters using the COVID-19 pandemic to scam people looking to buy medical supplies online. Sending emails offering fake medical support and targeting people who may be vulnerable or increasingly isolated at home.

“These frauds try to lure you in with offers that look too good to be true, such as high return investments and ‘healthcare opportunities’, or appeals for you to support those who are ill or bogus charities.

“The advice is simple. Think very carefully before you hand over your money. And don’t give out your personal details unless you are sure who you are dealing with.

Protect Yourself –

1) 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.

2) 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

3) Protect your devices from the latest threats: Always install the latest software and app updates to protect your devices from the latest threats.

For information on how to update your devices, please visit: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/securing-your-devices

For the latest health information and advice about COVID-19 please visit the NHS website.

Attachments Coronavirus phishing examples March 2020 generic.png – 724.8 KB.

Message Sent By Daniel Millington (Cheshire Police / Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Media Officer, Corporate Communications)”

Chester Crimewatch

A much appreciated but also sadly necessary update to our Chester Crimewatch section. Do you know, I do sometimes wish these scammers visit websites like this one and read these posts. It may give them an idea as to how low people think of them. Will it bother them? Probably not, which in itself is beyond sad. But it’s still good to vent some anger towards these nomarks who perpetrate these scams.

Anyway, rant over. As well as this latest Coronavirus related fraud post, you can read all other Chester Crimewatch posts by clicking HERE.

About Chester and More….

Thanks to people like John we are able to keep abreast of the latest scams knocking about. As well as reporting on these scams there is also plenty more information available on this website. For instance, if you want to know a bit more about our beautiful city, then head on over to HERE.

For ideas of places to visit in Chester – take a look at these suggestions HERE.

And for all other blog posts, you will need to click HERE.