Scammers continue to leverage the current pandemic to perpetrate their malicious activities. It is such that the national internet authority shut down more than 2,000 online scams associated with COVID-19 last month.

A deeply shocking 471 fake e-commerce stores selling fake Coronavirus materials were shut down. They have also taken down numerous phishing scams and advance-fee frauds.

Due to the rising scams, the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is still raising awareness and warning citizens regarding the risks.

According to the U.K. Minister for Security, James Brokenshire, the major targets of the criminals have been email and video conferencing platforms, as well as other technologies with massive adoption.

Some scammers have gone beyond online schemes. Reports have it that some scammers have impersonated NHS officials and asked people to donate money.

Several attacks across the world have put people and organizations at serious risk. There has been an increase in targeted attacks from hacker groups sponsored by foreign state on pharmaceutical firms researching coronavirus.

Tonya Ugoretz of the FBI revealed at a panel discussion held by the Aspen Institute that the number of daily cybercrime complaints received by the Internet Crime Complaint Center is now between 3,000 and 4,000. The staggering number represents a 400% increase since the pandemic began.

Although almost everyone is vulnerable to these malicious schemes, many of these attacks are targeting unsuspecting individuals. The aim of all the attacks remains the same – leveraging widespread ignorance and panic to profit.

The widespread scam is such that numerous marketplaces on the dark web have also taken steps up against deals related to coronavirus. According to dark web journalist Eileen Ormsby some days ago, Monopoly Market which is among the most renowned stores on the dark web has banned the sale of purported COVID-19 vaccines.

“Darknet market Monopoly has taken a more responsible approach to touting #COVID19 “cures” on their #darkweb site.”

He promised the banning of any vendor caught peddling coronavirus vaccines.