Fake information masquerading as the truth is an enormous problem on the Internet and has been made worse by fear over Coronavirus.

Stories of supposed cures, doctors using ancient remedies that miraculously cure people or strange practices that protect you from catching the virus are common in the online world.

The world’s scientists are searching for a cure and for treatments that help sufferers. All useful information is openly shared with everyone else working in the field. If you want information or answers to your questions, then seek a reputable source and ignore the rubbish on social media and emails claiming to be from a friend of a friend or someone in the military or the nephew of a doctor etc.

Also, do not forward posts on social media about Coronavirus unless you are certain they are genuine (just because a message claims to be from a doctor or professor or similar does not make it genuine)

We must all seek to rely on reputable news sources only and ignore the fanciful, malicious, fake news that spreads so rapidly.

Conspiracy Theories

There are also messages intended to frighten people e.g.  ‘There never will be a vaccine for coronavirus’ or “The US government isn’t telling us the truth about how many are infected’ and so on.

As a major source of information on the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) is one of the most-impersonated authorities in the Coronavirus scam campaigns.

If you get messages claiming to be from WHO – ignore them and check their web site if you want genuine information.

If you have any experiences with scammers, spammers or time-waster do let me know, by email.