The economic consequences of the pandemic can already be seen around the world, and one of the most notorious phenomena is the loss of millions of jobs. According to data security training specialists, threat actors are also trying to profit from this situation, so online scams related to job search and economic stimulus will begin to proliferate.
Employment scams follow a common pattern: The potential victim receives an offer of a job he did not apply for and is assured that employment has a high salary, options for remote work, flexible schedules, among other attractive features. To get the alleged job, the scammers ask the victim to fill out a form asking for confidential information; in some cases they are also sent fake checks for the alleged purchase of inputs, leaving victims completely exposed to electronic fraud.
Data security training experts mention that this variant of scam is especially dangerous in this context, as millions of people are out of work or are looking for better income, making them susceptible to this kind of message. However, this is not the only cybersecurity risk arising from the pandemic.
Recently, the World Bank posted an alert related to a scam deployed via social networks and messaging platforms, mainly WhatsApp. The operators of this scam use the name and image of the World Bank to provide a supposed stimulus for the families most affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“A fraudulent social media campaign, especially on WhatsApp, offers money to assist families before COVID-19. It’s a scam. Please share to prevent someone you know from falling into the trap,” a tweet from the multinational financial institution mentions. It should be noted that under no circumstances does the World Bank offer economic stimulus to individuals, so people should ignore any similar message.
These fraudulent campaigns will continue until the pandemic is eradicated, so data securirty training experts list a number of recommendations to avoid falling into these traps:
- All jobs have advantages and disadvantages; remember to ignore any offer that’s too good to be true
- Do not share your personal and banking information as part of a job application
- Ignore WhatsApp messages sent by supposed public officials or members of non-governmental organizations, especially if they are asked for personal data
For further reports on vulnerabilities, exploits, malware variants and computer security risks you can access the website of the International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS), as well as the official platforms of technology companies.
He is a well-known expert in mobile security and malware analysis. He studied Computer Science at NYU and started working as a cyber security analyst in 2003. He is actively working as an anti-malware expert. He also worked for security companies like Kaspersky Lab. His everyday job includes researching about new malware and cyber security incidents. Also he has deep level of knowledge in mobile security and mobile vulnerabilities.
