Well, the scammers are working overtime to try to take advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic while it lasts.
The latest Covid-related scam is very simple in concept, but it’s turning out to be extremely effective at stealing the personal and financial information of countless unsuspecting users.
As usual, the format and wording of this scam varies, but they’re all perpetrated by sending out fraudulent emails implying that the message was sent from the recipient’s employer.
More people than usual seem to be falling for this scam, most likely because:
1 – The Covid pandemic is in the news non-stop these days.
2 – The folks who are still lucky enough to still have really good jobs don’t want to take a chance on losing them.
The Subject lines of these emails typically read like this (or something very similar):
“Mandatory Covid-19 Assessment for Employees”
The emails don’t go into a lot of detail about why this “assessment” is important, but they do imply that it’s something you need to complete if you want to keep your job.
The scammers demand in the email that you click a link to a page that ostensibly contains a form to enter your contact information so they can arrange for you to complete a Covid-19 assessment.
However, the real purpose of the form is to collect enough of your personal and financial information to allow the scammer to steal your identity and open fraudulent financial accounts in your name.
Bottom line: If you receive an email with a subject line similar to the one printed in bold above, don’t open it! Simply delete the email and forget about it.
Unlike most scam emails, many of these fraudulent Covid-19 related emails are well written using proper spelling and grammar, making them appear to be legitimate.
If you’re tempted to take the bait, don’t! Call your employer’s HR department and tell them about the email, then ask if there’s anything you need to do.
The answer you receive will set your mind at ease and prevent you from falling victim to an identity thief.