Challenging times bring out the best in people – but also the worst. As the world deals with COVID-19 and the economic fallout, you can be sure that scammers are looking for ways to capitalize on this crisis. Among their methods includes leveraging current events and news.
“Every year we see tax refund season create a spike in scams targeting people in an effort to steal their money. The same will likely hold true now as we expect to see an uptick in scammers taking advantage of the current COVID-19 pandemic with phishing (Email), vishing (Voice), or smishing (SMS) attacks,” said Quentin Rhoads-Herrera, director of professional services and TEAMARES at CRITICALSTART. “We’re anticipating a spike in online financial scams as the federal government works to stimulate the economy. Ideas such as sending checks to Americans ‘immediately’ to help cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak will surely open the door for online financial scams.”
Being proactive is key in safeguarding your business, as well as keeping the following in mind:
- Be on high alert. Scams come in all flavors. The safest bet is to always direct questions, comments, or concerns directly to the source, be it the IRS, your bank, vendors, partners, customers – anyone.
- Always question offers of unsolicited financial assistance. Go directly to trusted sources instead of blindly trusting emails, phone calls, or even text messages.
- Be proactive – prepare for breaches by ensuring you have a game plan in place. Whether it’s taking advantage of incident retainer services or dusting off your business continuity plan, work to stay ahead of cybercriminals.
For more information and questions on current cybersecurity threats, contact us at criticalstart.com/teamares. Follow us at @CRITICALSTART and @TeamAresSec on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook to stay up to date as the situation evolves.
