The internet is a wonderful utility, no doubt. It keeps us together no matter where we go, offers up-to-date information on any topic you care to mention, and provides us with rich entertainment through media streaming and online gaming. Indeed, it wouldn’t be remotely hyperbolic to describe it as the defining technological advancement of modern history (even now that the advancement of AI is starting to work wonders).
But like any other technology before or since, the internet can be used for nefarious purposes. So much of the money we spend goes through digital payments, with the details routed through the internet. Each passing year sees us lean more heavily on ecommerce - and then there’s the prevalence of online banking services, subscriptions, and microtransactions.
Criminals can (and do) seek to leech off the money swirling around the online world, creating online scams in an effort to convince people to give them access to their accounts. And due to the broad consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are currently more people handling their business online than ever before - so it’s fair to wonder about how scams are working.
In particular, we’re going to consider the question of whether online scams are harder (or easier) to detect in a world attempting to get through a pandemic. Let’s get started.
People are panicked and eager for updates
Even now, nearly 18 months since COVID-19 reached the pandemic level, so many things are uncertain. If you haven’t yet been vaccinated, when will it happen? Which vaccine is the best? When can you travel safely again? What will happen to schools? Many people spend their days glued to news channels and websites, looking for some impactful reassurance — and this eagerness for news makes them more vulnerable to scammers.
Throughout the pandemic, scammers have looked for ways to make money from the conditions, whether through taking money for fake vaccine appointments or trying to exploit the increased demand for certain products (we’re talking specifically about fraud here, so while scalpers have certainly profited immensely from the global microchip shortage, it doesn’t quite count).
So while the people in question aren’t any less aware of scammers in general, they’re perhaps more likely to forget due diligence when there’s something important on the line like their health and/or financial wellbeing. Thisin effect makes online scams harder to detect.
SIM swaps are both terrifying and indirect
When people think about online scams, they tend to imagine being directly targeted with phishing emails and text messages - but that isn’t how all fraud is done. SIM swap scams (through which scammers contact service providers and convince them to switch numbers) have been around for years, but they’ve recently risen in significance. Why?
The answer is simple: two-factor authentication. It’s becoming more and more common for people to protect their online accounts by using their phone numbers for verification: when they log into new machines, they need to provide confirmation codes from their phones to prove their identities. The huge rise in online activity stemming from the pandemic restrictions has driven this. Before it started getting popular, SIM scams weren’t nearly as powerful.
The issue here is clear. With many elements of online safety, there are actions people can take to protect themselves. They can change their passwords easily enough, update their software, and even hide their browsing activity - in a pinch, it’s perfectly possible to use a free VPN (they’re not all bordering on malware: WMIP has four options to consider) to cloak your IP address and allow you to encrypt your online actions.
But when the weakness is elsewhere, there’s only so much a phone user can do. They can protect their phone account details to the best of their ability, yet it only takes one slip in security protocols for a service provider to change their number - and they may not even become aware of it for a while. The more these scams are attempted, the harder it is for users to fully appreciate the threats they face.
Businesses are implementing safeguards
The points we’ve covered so far have been concerning, certainly, yet things aren’t all bad. Something we can all appreciate is that the elevated demands of the pandemic era have prompted businesses of all kinds to implement improved safeguards. You can factor in those pertaining to social distancing, of course, but more significant are those involving security.
Companies that have moved online and lost in-person connections with their customers have largely taken care to adapt to the times. They’ve upgraded their online systems, taken advice from cybersecurity experts, and even provided advice for their customers - particularly advice concerning their branding elements and how to verify the legitimacy of their communications.
Beyond this, there’s simply so much more information out there about the latest online scams and how to steer clear of them. YouTubers like Jim Browning and Kitboga are bringing attention to remote access scams that largely target the elderly, encouraging many people to help their relatives stay safe online. Overall, then, while there’s now reason to be extra cautious online, there’s no compelling reason to be unusually worried.
