Europol warns criminals are exploiting coronavirus outbreak

Europol’s latest report on the criminal landscape across Europe revealed an increased number of crimes, as perpetrators have changed their way of functioning and their range of activities, amid the Coronavirus pandemic that has forced national governments to take far-reaching measures to respons to the pandemic.
“While many people are committed to fighting this crisis and helping victims, there are also criminals  who have been quick to seize the opportunities to exploit the crisis,” said Europol’s Executive Director Catherine De Bolle.
The report found that cyber-attacks have significantly increased, as criminals are using the social media and the Covid-19 information crisis to distribute various malware packages to users, as the majority of employees have been requested to telework.
EUROPOL reports that criminals are capitalising on the anxieties and fears of victims through telephone fraud schemes, supply scams and decontamination scams, with the number of attacks expected to further rise in the upcoming weeks. Similarly, since the outbreak of the crisis, the sale of fake masks and counterfeit medical gear has rocketed, as criminals are exploiting the shortages in medical equipment.
Another trick criminals are commonly using is the impersonation of representatives of public authorities and medical staff to gain access to private homes, with the pretext of “conducting Coronavirus tests.”
The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation highlighted that social-distancing and restrictive movement measures that the majority of countries across the bloc have adopted, have rendered some criminal activities less visible to the public, and crime has been displaced to home or online settings.