Phishing in emails about coronavirus: how to protect yourself against possible internet fraud related to COVID-19

Phishing is one of the most common types of internet fraud, which is carried out by creating fake webpages or web portals and forging the source of emails.

In the last few weeks, we have seen an increase in the number of malicious emails sent by those seeking to take advantage of the coronavirus health alert. Perpetrators of this cybercrime try to trick users into taking certain actions by forging the identity of the sender of an email about current affairs and infecting their computers with malware.

Emails are made to appear as though they have been sent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or even by the Ministry of Health.

Although our computers have measures in place to mitigate the risks associated with this type of threat, the occasional malicious email might slip through the net or appear in our inbox as spam, therefore it is important to follow these recommendations:

• Carefully check the source and content of emails to identify any wrong addresses, incorrect domains, suspicious URLs and other warning signs. Incorrect spelling and grammar, as well as unprofessional formats, are also signs that we need to look out for.
• If you receive an unexpected email from an unknown, suspicious sender or which contains unusual information, do not open it and delete it immediately.
• Be careful when executing or opening attachments, particularly those with .exe or .js file extensions, even if the sender is known to you.
• Never click on suspicious-looking web links.
• Never reply to or forward suspicious emails.
• If you have replied to a fraudulent email or accessed a fraudulent link, we recommend that you change your password using a device other than the one you normally use.

Perpetrators of this cybercrime can also use other channels, therefore it is important that we also pay close attention to any messages received via online chat and first check that the information is correct.

Remember that Banco Sabadell will never ask you for any bank details or access codes via email.

If you have any doubts or questions, please do not hesitate to contact our #24x7 phishing helpline, where you can get help every day of the year: @Sabadell_Help.

This information is also available in Spanish and Catalan version too.