FBI: Watch out for coronavirus scammers, online child exploitation

Authorities are urging people to be aware that unscrupulous opportunists are attempting to capitalize off the COVID-19 outbreak by offering bogus cures and equipment, phishing for personal and financial information, and even attempting to take advantage of kids as they spend a greater amount of time online while sheltering in place.

Steven D’Antuone, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit field office, said that while people are practicing increased physical hygiene to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, they should also be practicing “good social media hygiene” to avoid falling victim to scam artists and other shady characters operating via the internet and elsewhere.

“Scammers leverage fear and anxiety of people during times of natural disasters — like hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes. And (the outbreak) is a natural disaster, a different kind,” D’Antuone said. “They’re preying on our citizens.”

Increased child exploitation is of particular concern, he said, with kids possibly spending more time online while schools are closed. Parents, caregivers, teachers and children alike should know about the dangers of online sexual exploitation and signs of child abuse. Sexual exploitation can include persuading children to share explicit photos or videos after gaining their trust through casual conversations initially and then ramping it up — sometimes resulting in face-to-face meetings eventually. Threats can also be used.

Tips from the FBI to educate and prevent kids from becoming victims of predators include:

• Discuss internet safety with children of all ages when they engage in online activity.

• Review and approve games and apps before they’re downloaded.

• Privacy settings for online gaming, electronic devices and social media accounts should be at the strictest level possible.

• Monitor kids’ internet use, keeping electronic devices in an open, common room of the house. Check their online profiles and postings, and make sure kids know that images posted online stay on the internet permanently.

• Instruct kids to tell a parent or trusted adult if they’re asked to engage in sexually explicit activity online. Explain that it’s not a crime for a child to send sexually-explicit images to someone if they are coerced or compelled to do so.

• If a child discloses abuse, immediately contact local law enforcement for assistance.

“Check what your kids are doing, know what apps they download, what (online) games they are playing, what sites they go to,” D’Antuone said. “This is all part of good social media hygiene. Have those conversations, know what your kids are posting. And if they are cagey about talking, that could be a good indicator (that something isn’t right).”

It’s also important to be mindful of COVID-19 scams, D’Antuone said, such as bogus medical equipment and treatments to combat the virus.

“People want hope, belief — but nothing is there yet. There is no cure,” he said.

And don’t follow links received through emails from sources you can’t verify, D’Antuone added, because that can lead to malware, ransomware or other viruses infecting your computer. “Do not click on links you don’t recognize, don’t give out your user name or other information someone may be requesting through an email,” he said.

Also watch out for:

• Emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or other organizations offering information on the virus. Be wary of websites and apps claiming to be tracking COVID-19 cases worldwide. Criminals are using malicious websites to infect and lock devices until payment is received.

• Phishing emails asking for personal information verification so economic stimulus checks from the government can be sent. Government agencies aren’t sending unsolicited emails seeking private information in order to send money.

• Phishing emails can also be related to charitable contributions, general financial relief, airline carrier refunds, vaccines, and more.

If you do fall victim to a scam, contact local law enforcement, your local FBI field office, FBI.gov or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx. Child exploitation can also be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at missingkids.org.