High Country Times

Lawmakers and law enforcement agencies are warning residents about cybercriminals who are using COVID-19 fears to spread scams to computers and phones. 

North Carolina Rep. Sarah Stevens (Mt. Airy) alerted North Carolina residents about these scams in a Facebook post, telling citizens to watch out for suspicious emails or text messages. 

"Cybercriminals are using concerns about a human-transmitted virus to spread computer viruses, with a fresh crop of malicious software and scams," Stevens said in a Facebook post on April 6. "Even text messages are being used." 

In mid-March, one of the first scams was sent as an email message, the USA Today reported on April 4. It was a fake email that seemingly came from the World Health Organization and offered information in the form of an attachment on how to protect against COVID-19. 

If an individual clicked on the attachment, a hidden installer would download onto the computer, which allowed cybercriminals to access data, USA Today reported. 

Several other scams started being sent out to emails and phones, offering personal protective gear, money and COVID-19 confirmed case updates, according to USA Today. 

But there are many ways to protect against scams and cyber attacks, USA Today reported. 

Individuals shouldn't open links or attachments from unknown senders, but they should verify the sources and install cybersecurity software on phones and computers, according to USA Today. It's also important to watch out for friends and family as well as backing up information. 

"Remember, don’t click what you don’t know. And please look out for the older folks in your family," Stevens said on Facebook.