Hard times bring out the best and the worst in people. It’s the worst the Department of Justice is concerned with. Michael Volkov discusses what the DOJ is doing to focus on fraudsters preying on public panic in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Justice Department has alerted U.S. attorneys’ offices, as well as federal, state and local law enforcement of many of the common fraud schemes, and the DOJ has already prosecuted individuals and businesses for selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and other forms of fraud. In addition, given the large numbers of remote employees, the DOJ has warned about phishing emails from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and about fraudsters seeking donations for illegitimate or nonexistent charitable organizations.
The reported schemes include:
- Robocalls making fraudulent offers to sell respirator masks with no intent of delivery;
- Fake COVID-19-related apps and websites that install malware or ransomware;
- Phishing emails asking for money or presenting malware;
- Social media scams fraudulently seeking donations or claiming to provide stimulus funds if the recipient enters his or her bank account number;
- Sales of fake testing kits, cures, “immunity” pills and protective equipment;
- Fraudulent offers for free COVID-19…
