Fraudsters amid pandemic deploy new schemes to deceive citizens.
Beware, scammers: how scammers profit from the coronavirus.
The coronavirus pandemic turned out to be fertile ground for the stormy activities of all kinds of scammers and speculators. A frightened population is more vulnerable and trusting, and the complexity of the situation perfectly contributes to the spread of scams on the basis of treatment and prevention of a dangerous disease.
The main model of speculation is non-existent treatment and methods of protection against infection, as well as pseudo-services dictated by quarantine measures. Many schemes take place online and even over the phone.
Pseudo-help for pensioners
Of course, the most vulnerable category of the population - pensioners - is the first to suffer. Fraudsters easily take money from gullible elderly people, promising in return help with the purchase and delivery of food or medicine. As a result, pensioners do not receive any help, just as they do not receive back the issued UAH 500.
Also, swindlers disguised as employees of the Pension Fund call pensioners with a message about the urgent need to transfer the pension certificate and all available funds into electronic form. After that, the "employees" come to the person and take the money and the old ID. The pensioners will never see either one or the other.
Beware, scammers: how scammers profit from the coronavirus
Alarm calls and SMS
The criminals call under the guise of doctors or other employees of medical institutions and tell the person alarming news - his relative has contracted a coronavirus infection, and treatment is needed. Medication and hospitalization, of course, cost a lot of money. Gullible people, in a panic, charge funds for the treatment of a healthy relative, and only after a while they discover that everything is in order with him and he has not been given any diagnoses anywhere. And even more so - no treatment was prescribed.
Sometimes fraudsters are "fined" by phone for violating quarantine - the fine is required to be paid according to the specified details. Also, the swindlers pose as tax officials and are trying to collect a fine for work during quarantine.
In addition, law enforcement officers have recorded the scheme of calls "from the bank". The swindlers call themselves employees of PrivatBank and Ukrgasbank and inform clients by phone about the duty check of bank data to prevent fines for late payment of loans. The data is then used to crack cards.
Also, during the pandemic, attackers increasingly began to send "bank" SMS messages to Ukrainians about a blocked card. To learn how to calculate feykovye message from the "bank", the editors PaySpace Magazine told in a separate article.
Urgent disinfection
Scammers publish ads about antiviral cleaning or even call apartments under the guise of an epidemiological service with a demand to urgently disinfect the premises due to the identification of an infected neighbor. People are asked to leave the house while cleaning, as the products are supposedly hazardous to inhalation and the eyes. When the residents of the apartment return home, everything of value disappears from the apartments along with a non-existent infection and would-be cleaners.
In addition to housing, criminals also take money, allegedly for disinfection. So, in March, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) warned South African citizens about a new type of fraud. Using fake identity cards, swindlers seize banknotes and coins "infected" with the coronavirus from the population. In exchange, the attackers issue fake receipts, assuring people that they will be able to return the money at any bank in the country.
Vaccines, masks and miracle cures
There is also a lot of fraudulent activity online. What criminals do not sell to inattentive Ukrainians - medicines and vaccines for COVID-19 (which have not yet officially gone on sale), cheap masks and anti-coronavirus disinfectants. Usually, for the purchase of goods, an advance payment is required, which disappears in the same way as the purchases themselves.
Beware, scammers: how scammers profit from the coronavirus.
In the worst case, the scammers gain access to the buyer's bank details using a card payment method, or are asked to fill out questionnaires to collect personal information. Using the data provided, criminals easily withdraw all funds from their accounts.
WHO writes to you
Fraudsters send letters signed by WHO or charities calling for participation in the fight against coronavirus. For this, the victim is asked to make a very small but very important financial contribution, which will go to help hospitals or develop vaccines. When a person makes a contribution, his confidential data is intercepted and gives the scammers full access to all funds in the account.
Sometimes, in emails, scammers offer to know the latest news about the spread of the virus and attach links to the websites of organizations that actually lead to fake resources created to collect personal data.
Dangerous business: selling certificates without tests
Also during the pandemic, speculators have become more active, who do not hesitate to put others at risk by selling certificates with the desired coronavirus test result. On one of the Ukrainian sites, would-be entrepreneurs offer to make such a certificate in a public or private laboratory. In this case, the customer himself chooses the test result: negative or positive. The editors of PaySpace Magazine sent a request about the legality of the site to the cyber police.
Scammers also create completely fake online service sites for the duration of the quarantine. Websites often look official. Often these are services for recharging mobile accounts, paying for deliveries and utilities without a commission. Of course, not only the amount allocated for utility bills disappears from the card.
Beware, scammers: how scammers profit from the coronavirus.
The coronavirus pandemic turned out to be fertile ground for the stormy activities of all kinds of scammers and speculators. A frightened population is more vulnerable and trusting, and the complexity of the situation perfectly contributes to the spread of scams on the basis of treatment and prevention of a dangerous disease.
The main model of speculation is non-existent treatment and methods of protection against infection, as well as pseudo-services dictated by quarantine measures. Many schemes take place online and even over the phone.
Pseudo-help for pensioners
Of course, the most vulnerable category of the population - pensioners - is the first to suffer. Fraudsters easily take money from gullible elderly people, promising in return help with the purchase and delivery of food or medicine. As a result, pensioners do not receive any help, just as they do not receive back the issued UAH 500.
Also, swindlers disguised as employees of the Pension Fund call pensioners with a message about the urgent need to transfer the pension certificate and all available funds into electronic form. After that, the "employees" come to the person and take the money and the old ID. The pensioners will never see either one or the other.
Beware, scammers: how scammers profit from the coronavirus
Alarm calls and SMS
The criminals call under the guise of doctors or other employees of medical institutions and tell the person alarming news - his relative has contracted a coronavirus infection, and treatment is needed. Medication and hospitalization, of course, cost a lot of money. Gullible people, in a panic, charge funds for the treatment of a healthy relative, and only after a while they discover that everything is in order with him and he has not been given any diagnoses anywhere. And even more so - no treatment was prescribed.
Sometimes fraudsters are "fined" by phone for violating quarantine - the fine is required to be paid according to the specified details. Also, the swindlers pose as tax officials and are trying to collect a fine for work during quarantine.
In addition, law enforcement officers have recorded the scheme of calls "from the bank". The swindlers call themselves employees of PrivatBank and Ukrgasbank and inform clients by phone about the duty check of bank data to prevent fines for late payment of loans. The data is then used to crack cards.
Also, during the pandemic, attackers increasingly began to send "bank" SMS messages to Ukrainians about a blocked card. To learn how to calculate feykovye message from the "bank", the editors PaySpace Magazine told in a separate article.
Urgent disinfection
Scammers publish ads about antiviral cleaning or even call apartments under the guise of an epidemiological service with a demand to urgently disinfect the premises due to the identification of an infected neighbor. People are asked to leave the house while cleaning, as the products are supposedly hazardous to inhalation and the eyes. When the residents of the apartment return home, everything of value disappears from the apartments along with a non-existent infection and would-be cleaners.
In addition to housing, criminals also take money, allegedly for disinfection. So, in March, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) warned South African citizens about a new type of fraud. Using fake identity cards, swindlers seize banknotes and coins "infected" with the coronavirus from the population. In exchange, the attackers issue fake receipts, assuring people that they will be able to return the money at any bank in the country.
Vaccines, masks and miracle cures
There is also a lot of fraudulent activity online. What criminals do not sell to inattentive Ukrainians - medicines and vaccines for COVID-19 (which have not yet officially gone on sale), cheap masks and anti-coronavirus disinfectants. Usually, for the purchase of goods, an advance payment is required, which disappears in the same way as the purchases themselves.
Beware, scammers: how scammers profit from the coronavirus.
In the worst case, the scammers gain access to the buyer's bank details using a card payment method, or are asked to fill out questionnaires to collect personal information. Using the data provided, criminals easily withdraw all funds from their accounts.
WHO writes to you
Fraudsters send letters signed by WHO or charities calling for participation in the fight against coronavirus. For this, the victim is asked to make a very small but very important financial contribution, which will go to help hospitals or develop vaccines. When a person makes a contribution, his confidential data is intercepted and gives the scammers full access to all funds in the account.
Sometimes, in emails, scammers offer to know the latest news about the spread of the virus and attach links to the websites of organizations that actually lead to fake resources created to collect personal data.
Dangerous business: selling certificates without tests
Also during the pandemic, speculators have become more active, who do not hesitate to put others at risk by selling certificates with the desired coronavirus test result. On one of the Ukrainian sites, would-be entrepreneurs offer to make such a certificate in a public or private laboratory. In this case, the customer himself chooses the test result: negative or positive. The editors of PaySpace Magazine sent a request about the legality of the site to the cyber police.
Scammers also create completely fake online service sites for the duration of the quarantine. Websites often look official. Often these are services for recharging mobile accounts, paying for deliveries and utilities without a commission. Of course, not only the amount allocated for utility bills disappears from the card.
