Criminals quick to exploit Covid-19 crisis in Europe

The initial cyberattacks were quite simple, but Europol noted that criminals devised more complex schemes when the pandemic reached Europe. — AFP Relaxnews

BRUSSELS: Individuals and criminal organisations have taken immediate advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to find new ways of making money, the European Union’s law enforcement agency said April 30, citing a spike in counterfeiting and cybercrime.

In a report on April 30 looking at how the pandemic will shape organised crime in the European Union, Europol said much of the criminality related to the deadly virus reflects the flexibility of criminal organisations, a trend that was already witnessed during previous financial crises.