Feds warn of costly coronavirus-related scams

Be sure that your finance staffers are on guard, no matter where they’re currently working, because new scams are spreading during COVID-19.

You’re likely well aware that criminals are using the pandemic to trick people and businesses. And it’s gotten so serious that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is stepping in.

DOJ’s top reported scams

Here are some of the types of scams the DOJ has received reports of:

• Phishing emails: Your finance staffers are no stranger to business email compromise. Now, criminals are posing as entities like the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Then they try to trick people into downloading malware or providing personal or financial information.
• Supply scams: In these situations, criminals create fake shops, sites and social media that claim to sell in-demand supplies, such as surgical masks, in an effort to get people to buy the fictitious items. You’ll want to be sure anyone with purchasing power at your company knows about this one.
• Malicious website and app schemes: These sources pretend to share virus-related information to gain access to your devices. And they often won’t unlock devices until payment is received.
• Charity scams: Here, criminals prey on good-natured people and businesses by seeking donations for people and areas affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

And there are likely more methods and scams to come, the DOJ says. If one of your finance staffers or another employee faces a fraud attempt, they can report it to the DOJ and FBI.

IRS steps up, too

The DOJ isn’t the only federal organization that’s urging businesses to stay alert and act on fraud attempts. Recently, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) created a website specifically for information regarding IRS-related coronavirus scams.

Along with general guidance and tips, the website includes a button to submit a Coronavirus Scam Report.