In a Friday warning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said that scammers are exploiting the financial situation to rob money and sensitive details from unsuspected victims. The assaults, the FBI states, the come in the form of fake Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emails, phishing emails asking for personal details to collect money, or urging people to donate for different causes, and offering counterfeit treatments. As a general rule, users do not select unsolicited links or open attachments from untrusted sources. In the COVID-19 scare, fake websites or apps claim to have details on the pandemic in real-time, which contribute to malware infections or stealing of confidential information. Numerous warnings released by U.S. Attorneys on the Department of Justice website have warned of continuing phishing attempts and cyber-crime operations targeting people worried with COVID-19 in an effort to hack their machines with malware. On Sunday, DoJ revealed the first civil proceedings against the website coronavirusmedicalkit.com alleging fraud linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the Atlantic, the European authorities have noted the increase in COVID-19-themed attacks and cautioned users to take extra precautions, particularly those who are now compelled to operate from home. The watchdog also acknowledged that various organisations across Europe are working closely to monitor these disruptive practices, increase visibility and help defend people. In a blog post on Friday, Microsoft offers tips about how users should ensure that they stay safe on the Internet, how they can prevent falling through phishing attempts, and how to improve their online protection overall through the use of best practices.
