Monica Eaton Offers Consumer Tips to Prevent COVID-19 Scams
Chargebacks911 COO Monica Eaton recently sat down with Cyndi Edwards and Danny New of WFLA News in Tampa. Their fascinating conversation centered on how fraudsters are taking advantage of the current COVID-19 crisis, and how consumers should protect themselves.
WFLA is an NBC-affiliated television station in Central Florida. The station is one of the primary news outlets serving daily coverage to the 3.5 million residents of the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area.
COVID-19 concerns continue to influence consumers’ behavior and choices. And, any time there’s confusion or disruption in the market, fraudsters will find a way to take advantage of the situation. “It’s a victim environment, for sure,” Monica says.
Monica cites phishing scams as a major threat source at the present moment. Some fraudsters try to trick consumers into donating to fake charities, while others entice consumers to click a fake link that redirects them to a scam site. In any case, the primary goal remains the same: use the crisis as an opportunity to steal from consumers.
“I think things have definitely ramped up [since the crisis began]. I saw a report recently that eCommerce activity…has increased by almost 40%,” Monica says. With more people buying online, many are engaging in online shopping for the first time. “There are criminals who prey on these types of scenarios.”
