Dark web during coronavirus pandemic
There has been an increase in activities and scams on the dark web due to coronavirus. The dark web has been active since the time the Internet came into prevalence. The current rise could be because most people are spending their time in isolation.
Before the pandemic, the dark web focused on money laundering, pornography, narcotics, etc. Now, the dark web has spread its wings into exploiting the possibilities of Covid-19.
There has been a dark web promotion in the pandemic. It is because many are trying to explore different ways to make money.
As per Sixgill, there has been a 44% increase in dark web users during the covid pandemic. Due to this growth, there is also a rise in crime rates. Countless criminal activities are taking place on the dark web. They range from phishing to fraudulent sales.
The dark web is exploiting the increase in demand for PPE kits, masks, and now, vaccines. Lack of availability of essential items is driving people to trust these fraudulent sales practices.
A few months back, many people received emails from fake WHO and CDC ids with malicious files. Their focus was to acquire personal information from these users. Most scammers focused on obtaining credit card details from people to steal money.
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All the crimes on the dark web during the pandemic
As per FTC, there were 25,000 covid-related scams reported in the first three months of 2020. These scammers procured $ 19 million from the dark web as the coronavirus pandemic started. Here, we will look at other scams and crimes taking place during the pandemic.
Watch honest views from the experts about the dark net during the pandemic.
Global Domain Listing Scam
There has been a rise in global domain listing scams. They include gaining money from unexpected invoices from enterprises. You can avoid this by getting a domain name privacy service. As per a report, there were around 1400 domains related to covid registered in the first three months of 2020. Among them, some sites were malicious domains trying to steal money from people.
Social Engineering Scams
In social engineering scams, scammers focus on obtaining bank account details. Recently, there has been a case of a fake NHS website. Through this social engineering scam, scammers request people to download a document. They stated that it contains advice to help them cope with covid-19. However, when a person downloads it, it leads to the unloading of password-stealing malware in their device.
Vaccine scams
As per Bloomberg News, there is a $100 million worth listing of covid-19 related items on the dark web. There are also places on the dark web selling covid vaccines for $700. Many people are becoming prey to these vaccine scams
Click below & watch a very interesting guideline on how to spot vaccine scams around you.
Conclusion
Since there is an increase in the activities on the dark web due to coronavirus, we have to stay vigilant. It is pertinent to take measures to avoid the chances of falling prey to these crimes and scams.
Staying alert and thinking before clicking on suspicious links can assist in solving a lot of problems. Ensure that you are not sharing your credit card details, passwords, and other personal information.
Similarly, it is best to avoid visiting websites that sell fraudulent substances. Reporting and taking the necessary actions can also help others.