Cybersecurity Alert: Avoid COVID-19 Scams

Dear Veteran Community, As coronavirus (COVID-19) cases have risen across the state there has also been a considerable surge in scams related to the pandemic. Malicious actors are using this crisis as an opportunity to steal money and personal information as well as install malware onto computers. The scams are being instigated through fake websites, phishing emails, and phone and text messages. The New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) recently issued a series of precautions that veterans and others can take to protect themselves. ITS recommends to: Use trusted sources, such as legitimate government websites, for up-to-date, fact-based information about COVID-19. Check for misspellings within a link - for example, an address that should end with .gov ending in .com or .org instead. (Note, the World Health Organization uses a .int domain.) Exercise extreme caution when responding to individual pleas for financial assistance such as those posted on social media, crowdfunding websites, or in an email, even if it appears to originate from a trusted source. Be cautious of emails or websites that claim to provide information, pictures and/or videos. Do not open unsolicited emails or click on the links or attachments in those emails. Never reveal personal or financial information in an email or to an untrusted website. Hang up on robocalls. Do not press any numbers. For more advice on protecting yourself from scams, visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/stay-cyber-safe. - New York City Department of Veterans' Services

Please follow us at www.nyc.gov/vets, on social media @nycveterans, or via email at connect@veterans.nyc.gov. For the latest information regarding COVID-19's impact on NYC's Veteran community visit the DVS COVID-19 resource page.