Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
CybersecuritySecurity NewswireCybersecurity News

DoJ and IRS Warn Taxpayers of Potential Scams in Relation to COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments

coronavirus
April 14, 2020

Recently, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) cautioned taxpayers of the opportunity for criminals to steal economic impact payments through various means of deception.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law on March 27, 2020. Under the CARES Act, millions of Americans will start to receive COVID-19 economic impact payments from the IRS in the upcoming weeks. For most Americans, this one-time direct payment will be delivered primarily through direct deposit into their bank account. 

Criminals have already begun deceiving taxpayers through unsolicited phone calls, emails, text messages or phishing attacks purporting to be from the IRS in attempts to steal these payments, says the DoJ. Scammers are also trying to get taxpayers to sign their checks over to them through various means. Everyone receiving money from the government as a result of the COVID-19 economic impact payment is potentially at risk. 

Hank Schless, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Lookout, says, “This is not the first time that small businesses have been targeted by malicious actors. In late 2019, a phishing campaign was discovered by Lookout PhishingAI that impersonated local government websites including the City of Tampa, the City of San Mateo, and Dallas County. The goal of these targeted campaigns, including any related to coronavirus, is to steal personal information such as Tax IDs, Social Security numbers and banking information."

"In order to avoid these attacks, always look for a ".gov" at the end of the email or website, as that URL ending is reserved only for validated government bodies," adds Schless. "Additionally, small businesses should always validate communication from the government regarding relief loans. If the communication is not from a .gov, call the agency in charge and ask if they sent the message. If you are on a mobile device, always check the full URL, as mobile browsers shorten them, before clicking on it or submitting any information in a form.”

Alex Guirakhoo, Strategy and Research Analyst at Digital Shadows, notes that, “Phishing attacks are one of the most common forms of social engineering. Cybercriminals are well aware of the fears and uncertainties many small businesses are currently facing with the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, COVID-19-related phishing lures have been incredibly common over the past few months as cybercriminals attempt to capitalize on the social and economic disruption caused by the pandemic. With shelter-in-place orders now being implemented across the globe, many organizations have had to adapt their business models to allow for employees to work from home. For organizations with a strong remote work culture, this has been relatively straightforward. But for others, particularly small businesses in sectors where remote work comes less naturally, this has been more challenging. With teams now working physically distant from one another, using new communications platforms they often have little experience with, the risk of falling victim to social engineering attacks has become greater. "

"Promoting a strong sense of security culture, while always relevant, is now more important than ever before. Small businesses should ensure their employees are aware of some of the more common phishing lures. Emails that claim to offer COVID-19 infection maps, contain important government alerts, or offer deals on medical equipment that seem too good to be true should raise suspicions, especially when sent from unknown, external sources. Individuals should never give away their personal or sensitive corporate information to an unsolicited email, and should always be wary of emails that contain suspicious documents or URLs. If possible, small businesses should ensure that their employees have a clear and simple path to report potentially malicious emails. This is particularly important now that employees are physically separated from their security teams," says Guirakhoo.

Rui Lopes, Engineering and Technical Support Director at Panda Security, says, “In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, criminals are seeking to profit from the plague and small businesses are particularly at risk. Whether it’s through social engineering, robocalls, or email phishing, there are false claims circulating about how to receive federal coronavirus relief loans. Don’t be duped; never respond to pre-recorded phone call messages, carefully check the email addresses and content of emails promising anything, and be wary of anyone claiming to be from a bank, should they attempt to contact you. When in doubt, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Independently verify any information not by clicking on provided links, but through navigating to official websites on your own.”

KEYWORDS: coronavirus cyber security Department of Justice phishing scam

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024

    Security magazine's Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2024 award...
    Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    By: Security Staff
  • cyber brain

    The intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable cybersecurity...
    Columns
    By: Pam Nigro
  • artificial intelligence AI graphic

    Assessing the pros and cons of AI for cybersecurity

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant implications...
    Cybersecurity Education & Training
    By: Charles Denyer
Manage My Account
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Sureview screen
    Sponsored bySureView Systems

    The Evolution of Automation in the Command Center

  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

Popular Stories

Rendered computer with keyboard

16B Login Credentials Exposed in World’s Largest Data Breach

Verizon on phone screen

61M Records Listed for Sale Online, Allegedly Belong to Verizon

Security’s 2025 Women in Security

Security’s 2025 Women in Security

Red spiderweb

From Retail to Insurance, Scattered Spider Changes Targets

blurry multicolored text on black screen

PowerSchool Education Technology Company Announces Data Breach

Events

August 7, 2025

Threats to the Energy Sector: Implications for Corporate and National Security

The energy sector has found itself in the crosshairs of virtually every bad actor on the global stage.

August 27, 2025

Risk Mitigation as a Competitive Edge

In today’s volatile environment, a robust risk management strategy isn’t just a requirement—it’s a foundation for organizational resilience. From cyber threats to climate disruptions, the ability to anticipate, withstand, and adapt to disruption is becoming a hallmark of industry leaders.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products

Related Articles

  • coronavirus

    DOJ Announces Disruption of Hundreds of Online COVID-19 Related Scams

    See More
  • conference

    DOJ and FBI Warn of Potential for Videoconferencing Hacking during Coronavirus Pandemic

    See More
  • Security blog default

    In Their Own Voices: Top Guarding Firm Executives Speak on the Impact of COVID-19 to the Guarding Industry

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • security culture.webp

    Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

  • 9780367221942.jpg

    From Visual Surveillance to Internet of Things: Technology and Applications

See More Products
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing