Electronic scams only get wilder and support North Korean regime

June was National Internet Safety Month, and if you missed it, consider this your annual reminder to train your employees on recognizing Internet scams, avoiding providing sensitive employee and company data, and taking proactive steps to protect themselves and the company from scams. However, a more invasive scheme has evolved.

IT worker scam

North Korean IT workers who pose as remote workers has been a known threat for years. The U.S. Departments of State and the Treasury and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued an initial advisory in May 2022, warning companies to be aware of the scheme and diligent in their hiring practices. The goal of the scheme has been to evade sanctions on North Korea and raise funds for the regime and fund its weapon programs. As of October 2024, there were several known instances of a U.S.-based company hiring a North Korean IT worker, including Fortune 500 companies and a financial institution. Yikes!