The top digital COVID-19 scams

identity theft, fraud prevention, cybersecurity, data theft

New research from TransUnion’s Consumer Financial Hardship studies found that phishing is the top digital fraud scheme worldwide related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among consumers reporting being targeted with digital COVID-19 schemes globally, 27% said they were hit with pandemic-themed phishing scams.

The study asked consumers if they had been targeted by digital COVID-19 fraud and if so, which digital fraud scheme(s) related to COVID-19 were they targeted with. Globally, 32% said they had been targeted by digital fraud related to COVID-19 with the below being the top types of COVID-19 fraud they faced:

Top Global Online COVID-19 Scams Targeting Consumers

Rankings	Percentage Hit by Scheme Among Those Targeted by Digital COVID-19 Fraud
Phishing	27%
Third-party seller scams on legitimate online retail websites	21%
Charity and fundraising scam	19%
Unemployment scam	18%
Fraudulent COVID-19 vaccines, cures, tests, and PPE	15%
Fake insurance	15%
Shipping fraud	14%
Identity theft	14%
Stolen credit card or fraudulent charges	13%
Stimulus check scam	12%
Someone changing your personal or account information via a call center	12%
Account taken over	11%

Online COVID-19 Scams Targeting Consumers by Country

Country	Top Fraud Type	Percent Targeted by All Digital COVID-19 Fraud
Canada	Phishing	30%
Colombia	Third-party seller scams on legitimate online retail websites	25%
Hong Kong	Phishing	37%
South Africa	Unemployment scam	38%
U.K.	Phishing	30%
U.S.	Phishing	31%

Shai Cohen, senior vice president of Global Fraud & Identity Solutions at TransUnion, said “Although the schemes may vary by country, a new approach to identity verification that supplements traditional authentication methods is needed to defend against their impact,” said Cohen. “The key is creating a friction-right experience where consumers are confident they are dealing with a legitimate organization or business.”