{"id":43013,"date":"2020-07-30T00:49:37","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T00:49:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onesaas.local\/blog\/covid-19-coronavirus-sms-scams-to-look-out-for\/"},"modified":"2024-03-27T19:53:46","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T19:53:46","slug":"covid-19-coronavirus-sms-scams-to-look-out-for","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/messagemedia.com\/nz\/blog\/covid-19-coronavirus-sms-scams-to-look-out-for\/","title":{"rendered":"6 COVID-19 (Coronavirus) SMS scams to look out for"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

UPDATED: 30th July 2020<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many scammers and hackers are trying to capitalise on people\u2019s panic in the face of the COVID pandemic. The UN\u2019s World Health Organisation has already issued warnings alerting people to an increase in cyber-criminals disguising themselves as the WHO. They use emails, websites, phone calls, text messages and even faxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attackers are not only exploiting the general public\u2019s rising anxiety about COVID-19 (Coronavirus). They are also leveraging conspiracy theory-based fears around cures, Sinophobia and \u2018disinformation\u2019 coming from reputable health and data sources in order to phish vulnerable consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Phishing<\/strong>? Phishing is the fraudulent attempt of sending communications (mainly email) pretending to be a reputable organisation or company in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

While many Coronavirus scams have been carried out via email, websites and social media; a fair few emerging scams have been SMS-related or are utilising Smishing (text message phishing) techniques. SMS communications have an important role to play allowing trustworthy businesses and organisations to relay important information to you during times of emergency. They can, however, also be used to take advantage of those who are vulnerable or susceptible to the sophistication of these attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a legitimate SMS solution provider of over 20 years, we believe it is important that you do everything you can to stay updated and knowledgable about these threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Smishing<\/strong>? The same as phishing except cybercriminals will use SMS or text-message based communications in order to get individuals to reveal personal information.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Learn how to spot and protect yourself from COVID-19 scams<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smishing \/ text message scam types<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Alleged ‘charities’ seeking donations or advertising giveaways<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Recently the Canadian Red Cross tweeted that they had received multiple complaints from the general public about an SMS campaign<\/a> to give away free masks from their organisation. This scam was circulated not only by text but also spread via email and on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Face masks are currently depleted<\/a> in many countries around the world. With many still believing they can protect themselves from the virus by wearing a mask, scammers are heartlessly taking advantage<\/a> of this need. In reality, face masks do not protect you from the virus. Hospitals and governments, meanwhile, are in desperate need of them to help protect doctors and nurses on the frontline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Example<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Often SMS scam offers will come from unknown phone numbers spoofing real organisations. To the untrained eye, this scam SMS above may seem like a valid text message offer from the Red Cross despite its unrecognisable phone number. On closer examination, however, some things really are too good to be true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Spoofing (<\/b>or a Spoofing attack)<\/b>? This is when a malicious party disguises themselves as another person, organisation or device (say your Dad\u2019s phone) on a network. They then launch attacks to steal data, spread their malware or bypass access controls such as <\/i>2-factor-authentication<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malicious actors may use tricks such as combosquatting<\/i> or typosquatting<\/i><\/a>. False domains or websites emulating real organisations are used in conjunction with similar, but mistyped URLs intending to spoof a real organisation as closely as possible. You can see this when you compare the false URL: RedCross-mask.ca against the real Canadian Red Cross\u2019 URL: redcross.ca.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Test<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We suggest that if you come across an SMS scam like this, check the link first. You can find what the actual one should look like with a quick search in your internet browser. If you are still not sure, contact the charity to confirm that the offer or request is real and from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Especially in the case of unsolicited<\/i> text messages, we recommend you do not click on the link and do not respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Senders claiming to be government authorities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Recently the Australian Cyber Security Centre<\/a> issued a public social media warning regarding a recent SMS scam claiming to come from \u2018GOV\u2019. This could easily be mistaken as a legitimate government authority in Australia. This may be due to the fact that most Australians sign into myGov, the authorised online portal for citizens to access government services (such as public healthcare, child support and public housing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Example<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This particular COVID-19 smishing scam<\/a> (phishing SMS) encouraged Australians to open a link to find out about new symptoms, as well as where to get tested. Instead, the link leads victims to download malware (malicious software) that will allegedly steal your financial and banking details, such as credit card information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike scam emails, it\u2019s sometimes harder to tell if an SMS sender is legitimate or not. We recommend that you delete the message and report the scam to the relevant government authority it claimed to originate from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also encourage everyone to sign up to alerts from your local government authorities in your state or country, such as Scamwatch, in order to stay abreast of potential COVID-19 scams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Messages inciting fear or capitalising on misinformation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the middle of March, numerous Kansas residents in the US reported receiving spam SMS messages stating that there had been new confirmed cases at different hospitals in their local area. As you can imagine, it stirred up even more panic and unrest among the locals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment immediately issued a public statement, \u201cThese are scams and are not true.\u201d In fact, there were no new cases, with current cases at the time remaining at four.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be very easy for anyone to fall prey to scams that intend to fan the flames of rising panic and anxiety. We recommend that concerned citizens subscribe to real text alert systems in their local state or city so that they do not become potentially misled by scams like this in future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Example<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Learn how to spot and protect yourself from COVID-19 scams<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Tax or rebate scams<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As the middle of the year has rolled around, scammers are using tax-time as another opportunity to unlawfully relieve consumers of their hard-earned money. One example of this is a scheme purporting to come from the UK’s HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs office) promising a tax rebate to customers if they stay at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stay
CREDIT: Manchester Evening News<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Others have shown up for UK residents promising rebates based on their income. Another is threatening them to pay tax owed or they will be arrested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"COVID
CREDIT: Manchester Evening News<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In other cases, scammers are sending fake messages mimicking real messages and Sender IDs from government tax agencies. In Australia, the Australian Tax Office (ATO) will often send text alerts when a new message arrives in your tax account inbox. This particular scam even dupes the myGov or ATO Sender ID, encouraging logins to a fake ATO login website via a link included in the text message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
CREDIT<\/strong>: ATO<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To spot the difference, the ATO is telling citizens that official messages will never include a link to log in. Check out their Scam Alerts<\/a> page for more information on this smishing scam and other related scams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/
CREDIT:<\/strong> Scamwatch<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. Contact tracing scams<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Scammers are also taking advantage of local residents with contact tracing scams. Contact tracing usually takes place over the phone, most commonly when a public health authority calls a citizen about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n