The recent Federal Bureau of Investigations Internet Crime Report shows that cybercrime has spiked, leaving hundreds of thousands of victims and costing more than $4 billion.

The FBI received a record number of reports last year totaling 791,790, a 69% growth from 2019. Moreover, losses due to internet crime increased by $700 million, growing from $3.5 billion in 2019 to $4.2 billion in 2020.

With people focused on protecting their families from a global COVID-19 pandemic and helping others in need, cybercriminals have taken advantage to profit from the increasing dependence on technology to go on an Internet crime spree.

These criminals have used phishing, spoofing, extortion and various types of Internet-enabled fraud to target the most vulnerable in our society – medical workers searching for personal protective equipment, families looking for information about stimulus checks to help pay bills and many others. Victims lost the most money to business email compromise scams, romance schemes and investment fraud. Notably, last year saw the emergence of scams exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Below is a breakdown of the top three crimes reported to the FBI, and what you can do to better protect yourself from becoming a victim:

1. Phishing Scams

Phishing scams accounted for 241,342 complaints in the report, generating $54 million in total damages. During the last year, some of the phishing scams targeted COVID-19 relief payments, tax extensions or fake small business loans.

Here are a few steps you can take to help avoid falling victim to a phishing scam:

● Ignore unprompted emails, texts or phone calls that request an urgent response.

● Check sender email addresses and domains.

● Pay close attention to spelling/grammatical errors.

● Don’t open attachments unless they are expected.

● Use additional caution for unrecognized senders.

● Contact the organization the email purports to be from if you’re in doubt.

2. Non-Payment/Non-Delivery Scams

There were 108,889 complaints related to non-payment/non-delivery scams, amounting to $265 million in losses. Non-delivery of merchandise is a scheme most often linked to internet auction fraud in which a seller on an Internet auction website accepts payment for an item yet intentionally fails to ship it.

Here’s how you can help avoid falling victim:

● Make sure you are purchasing merchandise from a reputable source.

● Do your homework on the individual or company to ensure they are legitimate.

● Don’t judge a person or company by their website; flashy websites can be set up quickly.

● Be cautious when responding to special investment offers, especially through unsolicited e-mail.

● If possible, purchase items online using your credit card, because you can often dispute the charges if something goes wrong.

● Make sure the transaction is secure when you electronically send your credit card numbers.

3. Extortion

The FBI received 76,741 extortion complaints that caused $71 million in financial losses. Extortion scams are designed to coerce a victim into providing a form of identification to the threat actor. The fraudsters leverage those stolen credentials to establish a bank account for the receipt of stolen funds, which can then be transferred to a cryptocurrency account.

A few ways to help protect yourself from falling victim to an extortion scam are:

● Be wary of phone calls, emails and text messages from people you don’t know. Although they may appear legitimate, fraudsters regularly use technology to falsely represent themselves.

● Keep your computer safe and virus-free. Do not open suspicious emails. Delete them immediately.

● Never send money, provide prepaid gift card information or send Bitcoin to people you do not know. Businesses and government agencies do not ask for payment in prepaid gift cards or Bitcoin.

The post Here Are the Top 3 Online Scams and How to Avoid Them appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Kristin Austin

The post Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Post a Photo of Your COVID-19 Vaccination Card Online appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Kristin Austin

As the COVID-19 vaccine continues to become available to more people, be aware of potential phishing scams related to the vaccine. It’s important to stay vigilant to certain warning signs prevent you from being a phishing scam.

Two vaccines to prevent coronavirus infections have now been granted authorization for emergency use. Every day thousands of more people are becoming vaccinated.

States determine who get immunized first, with health-care personnel, nursing home residents and their caregivers prioritized as vulnerable populations. But the anticipated delay in distribution to the general population is enough to allow scammers to slip in with fake COVID-19 vaccine offers to people hoping to jump the line to get vaccinated.

Here’s how to help avoid falling victim to vaccine-themed phishing scams.

To start with no one from a legitimate vaccine distribution site will ever ask for your Social Security number or bank information in order to receive a vaccine. People should not give cash or any other form of payment to suspicious callers, nor should they divulge personal, medical or financial information, which criminals can use to fraudulently bill federal health care programs and to commit medical identity theft.

So, remember these three things: you can’t pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine; you can’t pay to get early access to the vaccine; and receiving a call or email about the vaccine that asks for your Social Security, bank account, or credit card number should be a big red flag.

To help stay safe, you should look to employ these general online and cyber-fraud prevention techniques:

• Verify the spelling of web addresses, websites and email addresses that look trustworthy but may be imitations of legitimate websites.
• Ensure operating systems and applications are updated to the most current versions.
• Update anti-malware and anti-virus software and conduct regular network scans.
• Never provide personal information of any sort via email; be aware that many emails requesting your personal information may appear to be legitimate.

The post Don’t Fall Victim to COVID-19 Vaccine Phishing Schemes appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Kristin Austin

As unemployment numbers continue to climb, so do fake employer scams that are preying on those searching for work. In fact, there have been triple-digit increases in fake employer scams that aim to gain access to personal and financial information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online human resources schemes where criminals pose as potential employers have soared 295% from a year ago, while schemes used for money laundering have skyrocketed by 609%, according to the security firm ZeroFox.

In human resources scams, criminals use a company’s name and logo and solicit applications from online job seekers. They can hold fake interviews by phone or online video conferencing and then offer the unsuspecting victim a job. As part of the hiring process, the scammer askes for personal information such as Social Security numbers and bank account numbers for direct deposits. The scammers can take this information and drain bank accounts as well as commit identity theft.

Money-laundering employment fraud can include a job posting to assist a company with payment processing or fund transfers. The unsuspecting victim is asked to move relatively small amounts of cash through their personal bank account. However, they are actually illegally obscuring the payments’ origins. Reputable companies do not need a third party to handle money transactions. And there is no need to use a personal bank account for company financial business.

And the No. 1 fake employer scam right now is the reshipment of packages that involve stolen goods. The Better Business Bureau has reported 65% of complaints it receives for work-from-home fraud includes a scam advertising for a “warehouse redistribution coordinator” or a similar job title that has an unsuspecting victim reshipping merchandise purchased through stolen credit cards or counterfeit money orders. Many times, these stolen items are repackaged and sent out to foreign addresses.

Do Your Research

Many of these job scams are advertised on major online employment platforms and seem to come from well-known companies. So, how do you know a job posting might be a scam?

One of the most important things you can do before sending your personal information to a potential employer is to do your research. Call the company directly and confirm the job opening is legitimate. If you’re in email or phone contact with a hiring manager, confirm he or she actually works for the company and his or her email address and phone number are correct. Many companies have their job openings listed on their own website, and you can apply directly through there.

When in doubt, do not hand over your personal or financial information. Especially during these hard times, protecting your identity is essential.

The post Fake Employer Scams Soar During Coronavirus Pandemic appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Kristin Austin

The COVID-19 outbreak has brought a lot of uncertainty into the lives of many Americans. Over the span of just a few months, the number of unemployed individuals rose by 14 million. In response, many people have turned to the “gig economy” for supplemental income.

The Labor Market

The gig economy refers to the share of workers who are considered independent contractors, or freelancers, instead of permanent, full-time employees. This includes freelance photographers, content writers, people driving for Uber and Lyft, and others.

Many people working these jobs are reporting low or inconsistent wages along with having to work long hours to generate enough income. Unstable employment combined with low wages and no benefits – in addition to the stress of a global pandemic – can negatively impact the mental health of gig workers.

Uncertainty and the Toll on Mental Health

Unemployment or underemployment can cause stress, anxiety, and depression, which can lead to physical health problems. Unfortunately, more than half of gig workers do not have access to employer-based benefits, according to a recent study by Prudential.

Monthly premiums can cost someone making $1,650 a month around $70, and the typical copay to see a psychologist with insurance costs $20 to $50 per visit. These costs can quickly start cutting into other necessities, which can force many people to go without valuable mental health services.

How Teletherapy Can Help Gig Workers

Fortunately, technology has helped make mental healthcare more accessible and affordable while reducing exposure to COVID-19. Teletherapy is the use of digital devices, such as computers and smartphones, to carry out mental healthcare services.

Research on teletherapy has shown that it is just effective as in-person visits, it costs less and can eliminate barriers to in-person appointments such as lack of transportation, childcare, or busy schedules. The benefits of teletherapy make it a good compliment to your health insurance. A typical service costs $20 or less per month and gives you access to mental health professionals 24/7, 365 days a year with no copays. During times of uncertainty, teletherapy provides a solution that allows mental health to remain a top priority.

*IDIQ® is NOT a bank, lender, home improvement or insurance company.  Offers made on this page are offers for services by independent parties and are not companies of IDIQ.

The post How Teletherapy Can Help Gig Workers & Others appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Kristin Austin

Scammers are now targeting Google and Amazon customers the most frequently with brand phishing attacks, according to a new report.

A recent study by security company Check Point found that Google and Amazon customers tie for the most phishing attacks aiming to steal their personal information at 13% of total attacks during the second quarter of this year. Other brands that top the list include WhatsApp and Facebook, which tied for third place with each at 9%; Microsoft at 7%; Outlook at 3%; and Netflix, Huawei, PayPal and Apple all coming in at 2%.

The second quarter is in stark contrast to the first quarter of the year, where Apple held the No. 1 spot on the list in brand phishing attempts, according to Check Point.

Experts suggest the change in brands used in phishing attempts is based on the current coronavirus pandemic. They said work-from-home environments mean many employees are using Google cloud products in order to collaborate with colleagues while Amazon has seen a large increase with many people shopping online from home.

The report also broke down the different attack platforms for brand phishing campaigns with web-based attacks comprising 61%, emails accounting for 24% and mobile brands making up 15%.

How to Help Prevent a Phishing Scam

While cybercriminals aim to make messages look like they are coming from an official brand, there are things you can look out for to help recognize a phishing attempt. Common features of phishing attacks include:

• There are spelling and grammatical errors: These errors are one way to tell if a message is fraudulent as large brands rarely send out communications to customers with spelling or grammatical errors.
• The message requests personally identifiable information: Messages requesting login credentials or personal identifiable information should be verified directly with the company.
• The message is time-sensitive: A scammer’s goal is to make you act quickly, without taking the time to review a message and verify its authenticity. Fraudulent messages might threaten to close your account or provide another sense of urgency.
• The offer seems too good to be true: A message claiming you’ve won a prize or they are refunding a purchase you never made are suspicious and should be verified.
• The sender’s email address isn’t correct: Scammers can send an email that has a slight variation from the brand’s actual email address in an attempt to look authentic.
• You receive an unexpected attachment or hyperlink: An attachment and link can be a cybercriminal’s attempt at a malware or ransomware attack to steal your information or take control of your device.
• Something seems off: If you receive a message from a brand that doesn’t seem right, trust your instincts and verify the communication is from the company.

The post Google and Amazon Customers Top List of Brand Phishing Targets appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Kristin Austin

The post How to Avoid Coronavirus Contact Tracer Scams appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Brian Acton

The post Cybercriminals Targeting Healthcare Industry Along with Coronavirus-Related Scams appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Kristin Austin

There’s no surprise that COVID-19 has impacted people and businesses in all kinds of negative ways within the past couple of months. Unemployment rates have risen quickly, and many businesses have had to close due to inactivity. To help those looking for additional income, here is a list of survey-taking jobs that are easy to join and can help you earn additional income during this difficult time.

Survey feedback is one of the most valuable tools businesses and organizations use to build relationships with their customers. In order to help brands understand their audiences, survey platforms gather data by rewarding those who are willing to offer feedback. The companies that are looking for insight into their customers pay these survey companies in return for consumer feedback. People who join survey-taking platforms get paid for activities they already do daily: take surveys, browse the web, watch videos, read emails, refer friends and more.

Joining a survey-taking platform begins with creating a profile. You answer a series of questions about yourself in order to get paired with relevant surveys from brands and services you already use or brands you are likely interested in. From there, you choose which surveys you want to take, get paid for taking them and help brands understand people like you in the process.

4 Survey-Taking options for Earning Additional Income

Kashkick

With Kashkick, you create an account by signing up with PayPal. The platform is free, and your earnings are deposited straight to your account. You can cash out at any time with the company boasting the lowest payout thresholds on the market, starting at just $5.

Surveys2Cash

Surveys2Cash is a survey aggregator that presents you with links from third parties that pay for surveys. Once you complete your registration and the questionnaire, you are matched with exclusive offers based on your answers. You can choose to take as many as you want, and you are paid via PayPal or gift cards.

InboxDollars

Another option is InboxDollars, which has a BBB rating of A+. InboxDollars collects survey data for brands such as Netflix, Walmart, Groupon, Yahoo, “Good Morning America” and more. Like the other survey companies mentioned above, you earn real cash for your feedback. According to its website, the company has paid more than $59 million in rewards to date.

Survey-Taking Jobs

Before taking any survey-taking jobs, make sure you do your research. Don’t sign up for a survey platform without looking into it. While survey taking is a way to make additional money, read the reviews of others’ experiences to make sure it’s for you. If survey-taking seems like a good option, get started and bring in that additional income.

*IDIQ® is NOT a bank, lender, home improvement or insurance company.  Offers made on this page are offers for services by independent parties and are not companies of IDIQ.

The post Tips on Bringing in Additional Income During COVID-19 appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Kristin Austin

The post Bank of America Discloses Payroll Protection Program Data Breach appeared first on IdentityIQ written by Brian Acton