Yahoo News | WV officials warn of new cybersecurity threat

By Cameron Gunnoe

WEST VIRGINIA (WVNS) – West Virginia residents are being alerted to a new scam to obtain sensitive information.

Representatives with the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security said cybercriminals are upping the ante to get access to private details. The new threat reportedly involves the creation of false government websites to elicit login credentials from users.

Cybersecurity experts have said seniors are a particularly vulnerable demographic for cyberthreat scams. They said this type of fraud became more common in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is a serious, serious issue and in 2020 when the pandemic started, we saw it blow up,” said Compliance and Engagement Director with Abrigo, Terri Luttrell. “Fraud was everywhere, the elders were getting hurt. They were losing everything.”

Luttrell said not only is the problem not going away, it is consistently getting worse. She said artificial intelligence is playing a substantial role in the ability of cyber scammers to manipulate vulnerable demographics. These scammers reportedly have used technology to impersonate loved ones, members of law enforcement, and other individuals.

“We thought since 2020 it would get better and it’s not. It’s getting worse and worse every year,” Luttrell continued. “We did not work out of that problem. I would say that A-I is a big part of it.”

Representatives have warned users that all official website through the State of West Virginia can be found at WV.GOV. They recommended reporting any suspicious or fraudulent online activity to the West Virginia Fusion Center. Finally, they have said never to click web links provided through unsolicited emails or text messages.