Coronavirus: Scammers con face mask buyers out of £800k
Written by News on 09/03/2020
Fraudsters have swindled more than £800,000 out of people who attempted to buy protective face masks amid fears over the coronavirus outbreak.
The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) says it has received 21 reports of fraud involving coronavirus since February.
Ten of the cases were made by victims who attempted to purchase protective face masks from fake sellers.
One victim reported losing more than £15,000 after their masks were never delivered.
In a statement, the NFIB said: “We have also received multiple reports about coronavirus-themed phishing emails attempting to trick people into opening malicious attachments or revealing sensitive personal and financial information.
“One common tactic used by fraudsters is to contact potential victims over email purporting to be from research organisation’s affiliated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).”
As part of the scam, the fraudsters claim to release a list of people infected with COVID-19 in their area in exchange for Bitcoin payments.
Victims have also been directed to a malicious website when trying to access the list.
Chief inspector Paul Carroll, of the City of London Police’s NFIB, said: “Fraudsters will use any opportunity they can to take money from innocent people. This includes exploiting tragedies. We’re advising people to take your time when making a purchase online and not to rush.
“When you’re online shopping, do your research. Read up on the website you are thinking of buying from especially if it’s not well-known, look for reviews of the site, and most importantly chat to your friends and family and get their opinion before completing the purchase.”
He added: “If you decide to go ahead, use a credit card if possible as most major credit card providers insure online purchases.”
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Scammers con face mask buyers out of £800k
