How the bad guys use the Notre Dame disaster for misinformation

As the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burned, the internet began to ignite misinformation and social engineering. One Twitter account stated the fire was the work of an arsonist; another organization on Fox News posted a fake quote from a Muslim congresswoman allegedly saying, “You reap what they sow” (she said no such thing). Bad actors also leveraged YouTube and other social media in an attempt to create malicious ad campaigns to drive users to phishing sites or infect their computers with malware.

Encourage your friends, coworkers, and others to be on the lookout for fake Facebook pages, tweets, and other online communications. Don’t fall for scams or fake charity websites. Think before you click.

Below is suggested language you can use to tell friends, family, and coworkers to be wary of potential scams:

“As you may know by now, the recent fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral has gained worldwide attention. And the tragedy has also gained the attention of scammers and others who are creating fake Facebook pages, erroneous tweets, and misinformation over the internet. Don’t fall for scams, and don’t click on any links in emails, texts or social media. Think before you click.”

Learn how to protect yourself from phishing scams and malicious ad campaigns related to the Notre Dame fire. Visit our Information Technology page learn more about our information technology services.