As Iowans take precautionary steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus, it is also important to be mindful of related cyber security scams.
Cybercriminals are quick to take advantage of disasters and emergency situations by luring you into sharing sensitive information. State and federal public safety officials offer these six tips to protect yourself from malicious online activity:
1. Keep personal and financial information out of emails, and don’t respond to emails requesting this information.
2. Use extreme caution with email attachments and links if you have any doubt about the sender.
3. Access only trusted online medical resources to ensure the most current, fact-based information about COVID-19. Proactively visit the official CDC website at Coronavirus.Gov.
4. Visit official State of Iowa agency websites and social media accounts, including:
- TheIowa Department of Public Healthis the leading source for Iowa guidelines, testing and reports on case-related information.
- Governor Kim Reynolds’ Office is providing daily statewide coronavirus status updates.
- The Department of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Managementcoordinates the State of Iowa’s collaborative response to COVID-19.
- The Iowa Attorney General’s Office cautions Iowans about coronavirus-related price gouging and fraud with an important set of alerts and recommendations.
- The Iowa Department on Aging is sharing recommendations and resources for protecting yourself and loved ones in long-term care facilities.
5. Verify a charity’s authenticity before making donations. Review the Federal Trade Commission’s page on Charity Scams.
6. Stay abreast of U.S. cyber threats to mitigate business risk. Review Risk Management for COVID-19, which is continuously updated to reflect emerging threats.
For more information, as well as how to report Internet crimes, scams or identity theft, go to dps.iowa.gov/covid-19-coronavirus-6-tips-increase-cyber-security.