Fraudsters may use the government shutdown as an opportunity to take advantage of unwitting victims, government officials and data security experts have warned.
“With residents concerned about the status of their federal benefits, bad actors may take advantage of this anxiety by posing as government officials in fraudulent calls, texts, or emails,” Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel wrote in a public advisory released on Wednesday.
Most government benefits, like Social Security checks and food assistance, will continue to be distributed despite the shutdown. But many Americans may not be aware of that, which could leave them vulnerable to being scammed.
“Scammers take advantage of those fears to try to steal money and personal information,” Nessel wrote. “The best defense is to stay calm and verify details directly with the government agency.”
That advice was echoed by security expert Aaron Rose, who told NBC Bay Area that hackers will seize on the public’s desire for information about the shutdown to create their opening.
“They’re going to say, ‘OK, we see this government shutdown. There’s no legitimate government organization that might be reaching out. How about we do that? We’re going to capitalize on that fear,’” he said.
The most common scams include phone calls and messages warning that benefits might be cut off, pitching fake financial relief programs or offering nonexistent job opportunities. Nessel reminded the public that the government will never request personal information via email, text or phone call. She also emphasized that anyone concerned they may be the target of a scam should avoid sharing any personal details and should not click any links they may have been sent.
