FBI: Online Extortion Scams Increasing during Coronavirus
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has posted a Public Service Announcement (PSA) noting that the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has seen an increase in reports of online extortion scams during the current "stay-at-home" orders due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Because large swaths of the population are staying at home and likely using the computer more than usual, scammers may use this opportunity to find new victims and pressure them into sending money, says the FBI.