Examples of Phishing Scams for COVID-19

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in reports of phishing scams and fraud attempts.

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Coronavirus-themed phishing emails can take different forms, some examples are displayed below.

• CDC alerts:

  • Cybercriminals have sent phishing emails designed to look like they’re from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
  • The email will claim to link to a list of coronavirus cases in your area.
  • Here’s an example of a fake CDC email. (All examples below come from the U.S. Health and Human Services website.)

• Health advice emails:

  • Phishers have sent emails that offer purported medical advice to help protect you against the coronavirus.
  • The emails might claim to be from medical experts near Wuhan, China, where the coronavirus outbreak began. 
  • Here’s what a fake health-advice email looks like.

• Workplace policy emails:

  • Cybercriminals have targeted employees’ workplace email accounts.
  • By clicking on enclosed links, you could download malware, or be redirected to a website that will attempt to steal your username and password.
  • Here’s an example.