COCI's office in Philipsburg.
PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry (COCI) urged businesses and the public on Friday to be on alert for criminal online services.
COCI said in a press statement that online services, web-shops, and e-commerce are growing around the world and with any progress and adaptation to new markets, there are pitfalls of which consumers should be aware.
According to the Chamber, the International Police Organisation INTERPOL has recently advised the global business community and the public to exercise caution when purchasing medical supplies online during the current pandemic, as criminals are taking advantage by trying to defraud victims online.
INTERPOL reports that with surgical masks and other medical supplies in high demand yet difficult to find in retail stores as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, fake shops, websites, social media accounts and email addresses claiming to sell these items have sprung up online.
“But instead of receiving the promised masks and supplies, unsuspecting victims have seen their money disappear into the hands of the criminals involved. This is one of several types of financial fraud schemes connected to the ongoing global health crisis which have been reported to INTERPOL by authorities in its member countries,” COCI quotes INTERPOL as saying.
Scams linked to the virus include telephone fraud, where criminals call victims pretending to be clinic or hospital officials who claim that a relative of the victim has fallen sick with the virus and request payments for medical treatment. They also include phishing, with emails claiming to be from national or global health authorities, with the aim of tricking victims into providing personal credentials or payment details, or opening an attachment containing malware.
“In many cases, the fraudsters impersonate legitimate companies, using similar names, websites and email addresses in their attempt to trick unsuspecting members of the public, even reaching out proactively via emails and messages on social media platforms.”
COCI urges businesses and the public to be alert, as many people are spending more time online. The advice from government and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to remain at home to protect the public health care system and the population from the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, and to prevent the spread within the community, has led to an increase in online Internet activity, the release said.
“COCI supports the advice given by INTERPOL stating that if you are looking to buy medical supplies online, or receive emails or links offering medical support, be alert to the signs of a potential scam to protect yourself and your money,” COCI noted.
COCI advises that persons independently verify the authenticity of company/individual offering the items before making any purchases. The public should also be aware of bogus websites, as criminals will often use a web address which looks almost identical to a legitimate one, such as “abc.org” instead of “abc.com.”
Check online reviews of a company before making a purchase – for example, have there been complaints from other customers not receiving the promised items?
“Be wary if asked to make a payment to a bank account located in a different country than where the company is located. If you believe you have been the victim of fraud, alert your bank immediately so the payment can be stopped.
“Do not click on links or open attachments which you were not expecting to receive, or come from an unknown sender. Be wary of unsolicited emails offering medical equipment or requesting your personal information for medical checks – legitimate health authorities do not normally contact the general public in this manner.”
In the meantime, COCI said it is working diligently on improving its own online service platform.
