RALEIGH – Hurricane Dorian means more threats than just stormy weather, with cybercrimminals looking to take advantage of people through a variety of attacks from scams to “phishing” for private personal data, warns the North Carolina Department of Information Technology.

“Cybercriminals will use every tactic in their arsenal to trick citizens out of their personal information for their financial gain,” said Chief Risk Officer Maria Thompson in a warning published late Tuesday.

“Residents should take necessary precautions to protect themselves.

“Think of it as preparing an emergency kit for your personal data.”

The state’s IT department says people should be wary of social media posts that seek donations and also be on the lookout for phishing attempts which are fake emails designed to solict personal information such as Social Security numbers and personal banking data.

“Be aware of social media posts asking for donations through a personal mobile payment app, or wire transfers and not through a verified charity or federal aid organization,” the departmented warn.

“Phishing emails and phone calls may also try to pose as official disaster aid organizations such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA and other federal representatives will never ask for personal banking information, Social Security number or registration number.”

Here are steps the state recommends as part of an “emergency kit” for personal data:

  • Carefully look at email and web addresses. Cybercriminals will make them look as legitimate as possible, often using variations of spellings. The URL may have a different domain, such as .net instead of .gov.
  • Do not click on links in emails and social media posts from anyone unless you know and have verified the sender or social media account.
  • Take time to look at the sender’s email address. Do not click on any links until you are certain the organization is legitimate. Validate the organization’s website for its contact information, and use sites such as www.charitynavigator.org to verify a charity organization.
  • Make sure anti-malware software is up-to-date, and you’ve implemented  anti-phishing capabilities if available
  • Do not provide personal information or information about  your organization

Finally, here’s what to do if you fall victim to such an attack:

To report a scam, file a complaint via the NC Department of Justice website

To report a cyberattack, file a report with the NC Department of Information Technology via this site.

More news about Hurricane Dorian from WRAL TechWire:

Watch out for cybercrime, social media scams during hurricane, NC warns

‘Storm Tracker’ to take WRAL meteorologists into the eye of the storm