The COVID-19 has presented cybercriminals and fraudsters with the perfect opportunity to lure and defraud potential victims. A new COVID-19-themed phishing campaign is targeting email, this time promising recipients tax breaks or refunds, courtesy of the government. This scam is largely targeting users in the United Kingdom.
Specifically, the email sent to usersappears to come from the “Government Digital Service” (GDS) and is supposed to offer a discount of around £400, according to the think tank Parliament Street. The email begins with the following sentence: “You are receiving a reduction in Council Tax, because you are on a low income or receive benefits”. In addition, the email states the following: “Total benefit amount: GBP 385.50. The refund amount will be transferred directly to your debit/credit card. Apply now to claim tax reductions and refund”.
However, the refund amount listed in the subject header is £385.55, one of several errors that can alert the recipient that this is a scam.
According to Parliament Street, this email has been delivered to hundreds of users.
Andy Harcup, VP of Absolute Software, said that with the outbreak of the pandemic, the cyber threats facing citizens in the UK have increased, with this latest attack being one of many designed to exploit the sensitivity and fear of individuals during this critical period.
Additionally, Stav Pischits, CEO of Cynance, added that it is relatively easy for cybercriminals to copy a government logo and text from official sites and create emails that they can use to scam users. Pischits explained that very often, employees who are faced with the economic impact of the pandemic are likely to be tempted when they are offered a discount, reduction or refund, as promised in the phishing campaign.
Therefore, anyone who receives such an email should check the sender's originating address and carefully examine it for any typographical or other errors, which are often indicators of online fraud . Failure to do so could put both their own and their employers' personal and financial data at risk
Although the first half of 2020 saw a notable increase in malware campaigns and scams exploiting COVID-19, overall cybercrime has not increased, according to Microsoft and other companies.
