To stay healthy during the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve been staying home, practicing social distancing and washing our hands.
But what are you doing to protect your finances from scammers who are using fraudulent phishing schemes to bilk you out of your money amid the pandemic?
Chip Kohlweiler, vice president of security for Navy Federal Credit Union, said scammers are using the pandemic to develop new phishing schemes.
“COVID-19 is a nice hook that can pull at people’s heartstrings,” he said.
Phishing is one of the primary ways scammers get access to someone else’s personal and financial information. Kohlweiler said the fraudsters use phone calls, email and even set up copycat websites that look just like the real thing in their schemes.
“Instead of just replying to the email, research the actual website address and go there to make your donation,” he said.
The same advice holds true for any unsolicited phone calls you may receive asking for COVID-19 donations -- don’t give out your information over the phone
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Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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