Unfortunately there are always those who will seek to profit from situations like the COVID-19 pandemic that we are all struggling to cope with at the moment. Hundreds of new websites related to COVID-19 are popping up every day and you might notice an increase in spam, scams, misinformation and fake news as a result of what is happening globally.

Some examples of recent fraudulent activity include:

• Emails pretending to be from the World Health Organization (WHO) asking recipients to click on a link to report active infections in their local area.

• Offers for fake insurance schemes.

• Emails from the government asking people to click on a link in order to claim tax relief.

• There have also been a large number of online shopping scams related to the purchase of face-masks and hand sanitizes which have either been ridiculously over-priced or, more commonly, never arrive.

With increasing fear and anxiety Criminals are feeding off individuals who are more vulnerable to exploitation.

 Here are a few basic rules and reminders:

1. Don't click on links that come from emails – it is much safer to use a web-browser and find the page yourself – checking that the URL is what you expect and not something different.

2. Never respond to unsolicited messages (in texts, emails, via phone calls or other means) that ask you to share personal or financial information – even if it appears to be from an official source.

3. Ensure that your computer, tablet and phone are up to date, that you have the latest version of the operating system and that any apps you are using are also up to date. Using the most up-to-date version means you will be protected from any security flaws or breaches that have been identified.

4. If you are making online purchases, use a reputable site and make the purchase with a credit card where possible – most providers insure online purchases and will help if there is any fraudulent activity.
   
   Pro-tip: This easy to use tool to help users find out if they can trust a website.
   
   Simply enter the URL of the site below and we will check against multiple databases to find out if it has been flagged as potentially harmful.
   
   https://proprivacy.com/tools/scam-website-checker