Amid the hysteria over coronavirus (COVID-19), many people know to seek out trusted third-parties for guidance in situations like these, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But lesser known is the fact that phishing scammers have started capitalizing on the wide-spread fear and uncertainty for their benefit by posing as these authoritative agencies.
As soft target telephone scams become more sophisticated, people are turning to protocols like biometric verification for enhanced protection. But implementation is key.
As digital security through online portals continually improves and people become more wary of phishing emails, hackers have turned to old fashioned telephone calls to elicit key pieces of personal information they can use for profit. It takes little technical skill—just the ability to sound convincing to vulnerable people over the phone.
Internet-enabled crimes and scams show no signs of letting up, according to data released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in its 2019 Internet Crime Report.
Shoddy installation of solar panels and leasing lemons vehicles are leading high on the list of complaints to state and local consumer protection agencies last year across the country.