Recent Corona Virus Scams

[joshua123]

this is the main reason why we can not trust any site that are using bitcoin in payment, because if you get scammed no one can help you, no one can recover the money you've lost, you can not determine if this site is a phishing site, because they use everything to make it realistic so that everyone will believe that the money will go to the corona virus affected countries

This is true, however users are reminded by our community to keep cautious when dealing with the some of OPs mentioned. Its hurt that many people got scammed but it is more frustrating when some take advantage of what is current happening now. Especiallt wr are talking about donations here. Pandemic virus is vulnerable with the badass minded people and they even using their skills to fool many people out of money. Clearly  bitcoin decentralization has been compromised by thieves that dont know how to earn fair and square.

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[Asuspawer09]

I read on the cointelegraph today about how scammers are using the recent pandemic to scam people using phishing, malicious malware attack and other scam tactics to scam people. I think this is well informative and worth peoples attention. That is why I brought it here on this forum. There are major things that I read:

1. Scammers are using fake donation platforms to trick victims to pay bitcoin.
2. Use of phishing attack tricks claming to sell products for residents of specific affected areas. They claim to sell hand sanitizers and face mask and demands high price but will not deliver the items.
3. Using phishing attack to steal private data or to install malware or ransomware into crypto wallet devices.
4. Also, hospitals are not left out, victims of cyberattack in hospital are willing to pay to regain access to hospital compromised equipments by cyber attackers.
5. A new ransomeware called CoronaVirus was discovered on malicious websites. A given amount of bitcoin will be demanded by the scammers in order to unlock back their devices.
6. Lastly, the use of corona virus map that infect users with malware and also using it to get access to passwords and other sensitive information stored on the website browsers.

This is the link to the news on cointelegraph is very helpful and I will like you to read the news in full details.
https://cointelegraph.com/news/beware-scammers-are-out-for-crypto-amid-the-coronavirus-pandemic

Let us all inform our people of this cyber attacks from the scammers, do not think only wallet owners can be affected,  some cyberattacks can also steal our banking or other sensitive information if you read the number 7above.  We should be safe and also handle our wallets and cryptocurrencies  as if scammers are always at work.

I have written some articles here on this forum about how to protect ourselves from scammers and about how to secure our crypto wallets. The two articles are well informative. Only the donation scamer tactic was not included as all these scam tactics above are what we wallet owners know about and avoiding daily. You will see the two articles helping using this link:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5232577.msg54021683#msg54021683

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5235930.msg54107672#msg54107672

And lastly, let us tell our family, friends about this scams because not we only wallet owners can be affected. Stay safe.

We already have the situation I guess we cannot remove people like this in the world, even here in my country they are so many people that are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic.

I can't believe even donations are already becoming a scam since at this time it would be easier to scam people who would like to donate.

I think what we could do is just be aware of these scams and also just help in other ways, either way, we don't need to make it in crypto what is important is we are helping those who are in need.

[Wexnident]

Scammers love this kind of situation, sad to say, but they don't really care, they are going to hit anytime of the day as long as they see some vulnerability, like the pandemic. Just look at how many fake covid-19 related websites right now. Even projects are raising money in the name of coronacoin. However, those crooks are going to pull scams and the only weapon against those people are to teach us and others. If you want to make donations, then start locally, no need to send it through bogus websites.

Indeed. However, people are mostly ignorant ( no offense ) and just donate to whichever site looks like a "legitimate" one. Even if a red cross donation site was cloned, people would probably not notice it until it was too late. I'd say it'd be a lot better if social media actually spread tips/info on how to accurately determine legit websites. This doesn't only apply to the scams out there, but also all the fake news that keeps spreading globally through social media. Just look at how many people believe about some stupid remedies that say that it could "prevent" the virus from spreading to themselves. And yet, people still believe them. I know, fear probably influenced them, but as humans, we should be quite rational in determining decisions made, after all, we ourselves would suffer from it if anything wrong happens.

[verita1]

Thanks for this post! It is useful information to be aware of new viruses that are being created. Cyber attackers are taking advantage of our concern about the Coronavirus.
Also, the article in Cointelegraph is very accurate, these scammers have no scruples.
Stay At home Saves lives!

[Ridwan Fauzi]

As we know this pandemic has been spreading almost for all countries in this world. Wich, I think we don't need to donate our money through cryptocurrency. It will be better if we donate our money just for our country, use our money fiat if we really want to donate which I think there will be many ways (like trusted institution) that can be able to pass our money to the people who really need it.

The scammers aren't looking at any situation, they will always try to scam many people although the bad condition is coming to people. They take this situation as a chance to gain money just for personal gain. So, I hope the people here especially who have intentions to donate his money for the coronavirus's victim should be aware and choose the right way to give his money in order to the victims are really accept it.

[tsaroz]

In the time of trouble, people tend to make ill-considered decisions. When people get emotional even with the suffering of others they make reckless decisions. They are already occupied and would do whatever to ease from what they are suffering from and some unethical scammer find it's easier to target such people.
If you want to do a charity, it's best to do it personally or through trusted sources. Don't fall for scammers that you find online or through youtube video. Stay careful and safe.

[Baby Dragon]

While most people suffering from quarantine, there are people who earn on coronovirus. So in my city there are no masks in pharmacies, while disposable masks that work 2 hours on the market sell for $ 0.25 per mask. In general, since it is impossible to buy a mask in a pharmacy, it is better to sew it. In our pharmacies, even pharmacists have masks hand-sewn from gauze.

People are willing to manipulate and deceive their fellow man even in times of crisis for their own gain. They don't think the struggle of other people with money, they choose to sell mask and alcohol for a higher price to earn huge profit. Fraudsters even impersonate the World Health Organization to attract people for donations. It's the reason why we should be attentive and wise because people will always look for a chance to get the benefits they wanted from us.

[Pamadar]

If it wasn’t the Corona Virus it’d be something else, there are dishonest, lying scammers in walks of life. It isn’t just in crypto, I’m sure many of us have been scammed on Paypal for example. Just keep your wits about you.

It always happens no matter what crisis or tragedy we are in there are people who really like to do the bad deeds just to get what they want. People should know their rights and be wise enough not to support those who scam people. People should have to know how to distinguish the legitimacy of the charity before giving something because we are dealing with a real money here.

There's a need of much deeper knowledge in regards to this kind of scamming activities, lots of scammers and hackers are taking advantages to people who are not that aware of this kind of practice, especially now that there's spreading virus and scammers seen opportunities to trick those compassionate
people who are willing to help others from surviving to this pandemic virus.
It's best to keep your research before joining or participating to any activities that offers related things to this virus.

[UmerIdrees]

We have received the letter from the telecommunication authority to spread this awareness among all the people, so no one is scammed.

[imajeff]

A simple example is at https://boxmining.com/outbreak/
Michael is kind to help everyone get valid information about the pandemic, however one post on the page is targeting people who don't know about bitcoin mining claiming they can make much larger profits than is reasonable. Just email a guy who only calls himself Mining Expert bitcoinminingexpert11 @gmail.com and doesn't talk like he knows about mining. Just send them money so he can acquire things like GMO miner B3, and you'll get great returns in 72 hours because of his expertise in solving the difficult algorithms, yeah right.

[Krislaw]

Someone also shared same thing here last week about a website that asks for a minimum donation of 20$. Another one sent email threatening that he would infect him with COVID 19 if he refuses to send him BTC

Scammers using this method to scam people knows that this moment is the moment when the world need help and many people are willing to.

[Leonardo7]

This is expected, scammers always use any available opportunity to rip off people. The gullible and the greedy will fall for this. I recently called my in-law and told her over the form that the federal government was giving her some grant to help her cope with her school business and recover from the Covid-19 effect she was very excited and was willing to send her sensitive details, had to reveal myself and warn her against falling for scammers.

[cheater detector]

Well, there are so many scams related about corona, because everybody is panic and aware.
Only around 2 month, this virus have infect 120.000 people





Look at this, corona is more popular than bitcoin
It's why scammer try to scam with corona articel/sites

[Mrengage]

Out here in Africa I don't think such act is something to play with, everything is being taken serious here, but the other cases of popular musican name (Davido) the wife got to be tested positive while they have been together and Davido him self was tested negative including their baby was tested negative and 31 other people who where with them during the tour to many countries. Now this is where I don't really get the Matter straight since Corona virus is said to be a communicable disease which if u come in contact with someone who has it.

[Malam90]

I have received few emails where the senders are asking fund for helping corona virus affected people. I have know it is an attempt from scammers so i didn't open that email. And yes, they are sending many malicious links in the name of corona help. So, it is my advice to all crypto related guys, don't open any fake email and click on malicious links. Otherwise your crypto wallet and personal information saved in PC, Lapto will be theft by scammers.

[isaac_clarke22]

It's disgusting that some people consider the pandemic as a new way of earning money. Although, cyber scamming isn't widely spread in my country, there are many people trying to make money out of others misery. Often they sell silly anti-coronavirus staff like badges, pendants or useless not medical masks which can't protect you from the virus.

Well you can't expect people to not find any means to steal. There will be always people acting like that regardless of how centralized a system is,now they're using a decentralized asset now to scam.
I read also those scammers here trying to sell fake cures and fake donations. Good thing that there weren't any people trying to scam me in my actual email, because pretty much I use junk mail when I am signing up to an untrusted sites.

[bitbunnny]

I have received few emails where the senders are asking fund for helping corona virus affected people. I have know it is an attempt from scammers so i didn't open that email. And yes, they are sending many malicious links in the name of corona help. So, it is my advice to all crypto related guys, don't open any fake email and click on malicious links. Otherwise your crypto wallet and personal information saved in PC, Lapto will be theft by scammers.

Yes, cyber criminals are trying to.use this heavy situation and scam people. Unfortunately they are also successful in many attempts, despite the continuous warnings.
There are many types of these emails, so be very careful and check everything twice. The best thing is to delete such emails without even opening.
Also, there are many fake news related to.COVID-19 , don't fall for that and listen information only from legit and official sources.

[hirngespenst]

Scammers are not human, how can someone play with people's emotion! I got an email that an expert team asking donation so that they can research and invent a cure for Coronavirus! That email was very lengthy, so I was reading carefully to get their motto, but in the end, I noticed they sent the same email to many Gmail users! And when I visited their donation site, I was clear that this is another scam attempt! God may curse them by COVID-19, sorry, for my rudeness, but they deserve it!

[Latviand]

In my country,the scammers are calling old people on the phone and telling them that their relative has been infected with coronavirus,so they have to donate a certain amount for his/her medical treatment.This doesn't involve cryptocurrency payments,but it's a nasty scam nevertheless,because old people are naive and can get panicked very easy.
The fight with the hackers/scammers will continue despite the pandemic.

how come that you will be easily fool with that scheme even they say it to you , you still need verified this situation you will contact them directly in thier number and social media accout and if that was true.

You will never send any money to people even they said that its part of your family without verifyng it.

To older people you need to always watch thier move every time and also remind them about this scheme so if ever this things happen they know how to react to that matter.

People are good at fooling people that's why it is hard to find out if the fundraising is legit or not. This scheme is very obvious that's why it is not effective anymore in scamming people, we are looking for a strong proof and evidence that the money will really go to the community and not a scam. Plus, we really need to know if it is supported by that authority so that government will take actions if your legitimacy is fake and fraud. It is not easy to trust people nowadays as they are seizing the opportunity to scam people and take all of the possible funds that they collected. So if you know some fundraising camp that is suspicious, you should let the authority know so that they can investigate about the fraud and people who are scammers.

[snipie]

I do not know who to blame anymore. Govs thieving medical equipments from each other, sellers and even big companies rising the price of many goods in addition to hiding some of the basic ones to sell it x2-4 its price, regular thieves profiting from quarantine to stole things without much stress, people calling for fake donations... Piracy, scams everywhere!