Fraud

Other

Do Not Call

Identity Theft

4,9062,440

758

417

$5.85MTOTAL FRAUDLOSS*43.7% of fraud complaints report a loss

$599MEDIAN FRAUDLOSS

FTC COVID-19 ComplaintsJanuary 1, 2020 - March 31, 2020

8,433OVERALLREPORTS

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400# of Reports

$0 $500,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000$ Loss

Travel\Vacations

Online Shopping

Mobile: Text Messages

Impostor: Government

Impostor: Business

1,361

860

760

221

208

$2,437K

$1,111K

$12K

$131K

$614K

Top Fraud Products or Services (Top 5 by # of Reports and $ Loss)

1 Lending: Mortgage

2 Credit Cards

3 Lending: Student Loans

4 Banks, Savings & Loans, and Credit Unions

5 Health Care: Other Products\Supplies

244

236

178

143

142

Top Other Reports1 Other & No Subject Provided

2 Calls pretending to be government,businesses, or family and friends

3 Medical & prescriptions

4 Warranties & protection plans

5 Reducing your debt (credit cards, mortgage,student loans)

333

161

102

31

29

Top Do Not Call Reports

Live Caller196 (27.8%)

Robocall509 (72.2%)

DNC Reports by Call Type

*Travel complaints referring to the Coronavirus are mainly about cancellations and refunds rather than fraud.

31% employers say COVID-19

triggered a work from home policy for the

first timeSOURCE | Owl Labs

Tips for SECURING, PROTECTING, and PRESERVING the Well-being of Work-from-Home Employees

EMPLOYERSDEVELOP or implement work-from-home policies to ensure business continuity

CREATE policies that require strong passwords, multi- factor authentication, lock screens, and up-to-date mobile operating systems and apps — also, make sure employees know what to do if any of their devices are lost or stolen

6 Keys for Fueling Remote Success

ABOUT SONTIQSontiq, headquartered in Nottingham, MD, is a high-tech security and identity protection company arming businesses and consumers with award-winning products built to protect what matters most. Sontiq’s brands, EZShield and IdentityForce, provide a full range of identity monitoring, restoration, and response products and services that empower customers to be less vulnerable to the financial and emotional consequences of identity theft and cybercrimes. Learn more at www.sontiq.com or engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube.

© 2020 Sontiq, Inc. All other trademarks or trade names are properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Contact Sontiq to learn more about how to alleviate the emotional stress and productivity losses that can stem from being a victim of identity theft. We can help you protect all that you’ve built,

especially with the increased vulnerabilities and scams hitting remote workforces.

1-888-6-SONTIQ

www.sontiq.com | 1-888-6-SONTIQ

EMPLOYEESTOP 10

• Take breaks —

Refocus your eyes away from the screen

Go for a walk Get up and stretch Use an app to meditate

insighttimer.com

headspace.com

tenpercent.com

Employee WellnessBest Practices for Working Remotely• Prepare for your day as if you

were going into the office

• Set a daily schedule and try to stick to it

• Make a designated workspace

• Use tools, such as Slack or Asana, to let your team know when you’re online

• Set time for a good, healthy lunch

• Keep communication open with co-workers (schedule morning stand-ups, remote lunches, virtual team celebrations)

• Drink plenty of water and keep your water bottle nearby

With the influx of scams and digital fraud, remote employees are now more vulnerable than ever and are increasingly exposed to

criminals stealing their personal information.

TOTAL IMPACT:COVID-19 Scams and the Remote Workforce

EDUCATE employees on cybersecurity best practices including phishing, vishing, and smishing scams

GET mobile threat protection for your employees to protect against the exponential increase of phishing, malware, and spam

USE online PC protection tools for employees to proactively protect against malware that can steal sensitive data, such as username, password, credit card number, bank account details, and other personal information employees may type on their PC keyboard

REQUIRE employees to transfer files using company-approved, secure alternative means like cloud storage

Here are ten tips to help you further prepare for working remotely that will help ensure a secure environment.

Work-from-Home Security Tips

Know your company’s mobile device and teleworking policies

Stay vigilant on keeping your software updated

Run anti-virus and anti-malware software scans

If using a company VPN always have it on

Check the security of your Wi-Fi routers

USE CAUTION before clicking, particularly around COVID-19 communications

Use strong password protection on all the devices used by you and your family

Use two-factor authentication when available

Remember to save your work

Log off at the end of the day and keep your computer safely stored at night

4

3

2

1

5

9

8

7

6

10

Protect Your Phone from COVID-19 Scams

SOURCE | Forbes.com

22% of Americans say they have been targeted by digital fraud related to COVID-19

SOURCE | PC Magazine

Loss in Productivity

6 MONTHS and

100 to 200 hours worth of work

SOURCE | Various Industry Stats

Severe Emotional Stress

77% Reported

INCREASED Stress Levels

SOURCE | ITRC Identity Theft: The Aftermath 2018

Since the beginning of 2020, the FTC has received thousands of coronavirus-related reports from consumers.

TOP SCAM COMPLAINTS

1. Travel and vacation cancellations and refunds

2. Online shopping

3. Mobile texting scams

4. Government and business imposter scams

SOURCE | FTC

IMPACT: Identity Theft of Employees

NOTE: The FTC will be sharing data on COVID-19 scams regularly and posting a PDF of their results.

5 Strategies for Open Communication & CollaborationFueling a Productive Remote Environment

1. CREATE clear processes for communication and collaboration

2. LEVERAGE real-time collaboration tools, such as Zoom, Slack, or Skype

3. IMPLEMENT regular meetings to ensure consistent communication

4. CONSIDER using a project management tool, such as monday.com, Basecamp, or Workzone, to keep employees up-to-date

5. DEVELOP basic instructions on new software such as collaboration tools

4

3

2

1

5

Source | CNET

1. Don’t open any links

2. Do research before replying with STOP

3. Report a spam message to your carrier

4. Use your phone’s built-in blocking tool

5. File a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

350% increase in active phishing websites amid COVID-19 quarantine

COVID-19Presents

In addition, get peace-of-mind with a high-value and affordable Identity Theft and Mobile Threat Protection solution that can secure your whole identity.

It can take just one or two pieces of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to steal someone’s identity.