The Special Agent in Charge of the Boston office of the FBI, Joseph Bonavolonta, has issued an advisory aimed at alerting and keeping individuals and companies safe in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. His memo reported on emerging schemes and frauds being perpetrated by criminals looking to capitalize on the current crisis. The FBI previously issued an alert to warn government and healthcare industry buyers of rapidly emerging fraud trends related to procurement of…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the management of organizations, including throwing managers at all levels into an “all-hands-on-deck” reactive mode.  In large measure, the immediate focus of management-level employees has been on business continuity, particularly moving the organization to a work from home workforce, workforce management including reductions in force by way of layoff or furlough programs, and client/customer relations efforts aimed at maintaining the company’s lines of revenue.  As this…

Several current and former federal officials recently sent letters to the President and the Attorney General urging action to protect persons in custody or facing arrest and detention during the COVID-19 crisis. In response, Attorney General Barr has issued separate directives to all U.S. Attorneys and DOJ Department Heads and to the Director of the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). This guidance comes as justice systems across the United States are dealing with an increasing rate…

As the country faces a wave of COVID-19 closure orders, individuals are being encouraged to report violations.  Hypothetically, these reports could originate from just about anyone – employees, employees’ family members, customers, neighbors, the general public.  Given the wide range of potential complainants, these reports may not always be based on first-hand observations. When investigating complaints based upon second-hand information, investigators should obtain as much information as possible regarding how the complainant acquired the information…

Law enforcement is alerting businesses and the public that during the ongoing COVID-19 federal and state emergencies and stay-at-home orders to be extremely vigilant about email and internet scams being perpetrated by wrongdoers trying to capitalize on the scare. According to the FBI: “Scammers are leveraging the COVID-19 pandemic to steal your money, your personal information, or both. Don’t let them … protect yourself and do your research before clicking on links purporting to provide…

As large numbers of people turn to video-teleconferencing (VTC) platforms to stay connected in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, reports of VTC hijacking (also called “zoom-bombing”) are emerging nationwide. The FBI has received multiple reports of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language. For example, two schools in Massachusetts reported the following incidents: A Massachusetts-based high school reported that while a teacher was conducting an online class using the teleconferencing…

Amid an everchanging legal landscape resulting from the spread of COVID-19, employers must remain mindful of properly responding to and addressing complaints expressed by employees. In response to the spread of COVID-19, many states have ordered non-essential businesses to close.  States are encouraging employers to allow employees to work remotely wherever possible.  Some employees with preexisting health conditions are expressing concern about continuing to work with coworkers. States have begun encouraging employees to report to…