HONG KONG/TOKYO/TAIPEI -- The new coronavirus outbreak gripping the world has unleashed a wave of scams and fake news in Asia, from rip-offs and computer viruses to false reports of infected leaders and grisly tales of dead bodies.
The World Health Organization, busy fighting the actual epidemic, issued a warning that cybercriminals "are disguising themselves as WHO to steal money or sensitive information." Short supplies of face masks, meanwhile, have given price gougers and swindlers an easy opportunity.
