Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

Beware of criminals pretending to be WHO

Criminals are disguising themselves as WHO to steal money or sensitive information.  If you are contacted by a person or organization that appears to be from WHO, verify their authenticity before responding.

The World Health Organization will:

• never ask for your username or password to access safety information
• never email attachments you didn’t ask for
• never ask you to visit a link outside of www.who.int
• never charge money to apply for a job, register for a conference, or reserve a hotel
• never conduct lotteries or offer prizes, grants, certificates or funding through email.

The only call for donations WHO has issued is the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, which is linked to below.  Any other appeal for funding or donations that appears to be from WHO is a scam.  

• COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund

Beware that criminals use email, websites, phone calls, text messages, and even fax messages for their scams.

You can verify if communication is legit by contacting WHO directly.

• Contact WHO

WHO is aware of suspicious email messages attempting to take advantage of the COVID-19 emergency. This fraudulent action is called phishing.

Phishing: malicious emails appearing to be from WHO

These “Phishing” emails appear to be from WHO, and will ask you to:

• give sensitive information, such as usernames or passwords
• click a malicious link
• open a malicious attachment.

Using this method, criminals can install malware or steal sensitive information.

How to prevent phishing:

1. Verify the sender by checking their email address.  
   
   Make sure the sender has an email address such as ‘person@who.int’ If there is anything other than ‘who.int’ after the ‘@’ symbol, this sender is not from WHO.  
   
   For example, WHO does not send email from addresses ending in ‘@who.com’ , ‘@who.org’ or ‘@who-safety.org’.
2. Check the link before you click.  
   
   Make sure the link starts with ‘https://www.who.int’.  Better still, navigate to the WHO website directly, by typing ‘https://www.who.int’ into your browser.
3. Be careful when providing personal information. 
   
   Always consider why someone wants your information and if it is appropriate. There is no reason someone would need your username & password to access public information.
4. Do not rush or feel under pressure. 
   
   Cybercriminals use emergencies such as 2019-nCov to get people to make decisions quickly. Always take time to think about a request for your personal information, and whether the request is appropriate.
5. If you gave sensitive information, don’t panic.  
   
   If you believe you have given data such as your username or passwords to cybercriminals, immediately change your credentials on each site where you have used them.

Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines. Scammers are taking advantage of fears surrounding the Coronavirus. They’re setting up websites to sell bogus products, and using fake emails, texts, and social media posts as a ruse to take your money and get your personal information.  See below for safe and important resources with valuable tips to help you keep the scammers at bay.

• Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or experts saying that have information about the virus. For the most up-to-date information about the Coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Ignore online offers for vaccinations. If you see ads touting prevention, treatment, or cure claims for the Coronavirus, ask yourself: if there’s been a medical breakthrough, would you be hearing about it for the first time through an ad or sales pitch?
• Do your homework when it comes to donations, whether through charities or crowdfunding sites. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money, don’t do it.
• Be alert to “investment opportunities.” The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is warning people about online promotions, including on social media, claiming that the products or services of publicly-traded companies can prevent, detect, or cure coronavirus and that the stock of these companies will dramatically increase in value as a result.