Alex Hamerstone, a cybersecurity expert at TrustedSec, an information security consulting business based in Strongsville, was not surprised when we told him about the increasing reports of identity theft.

“It’s going to ebb and flow,” he said. “They have a lot of money. They have a lot of information flowing through there and so they’re going to be a target for criminals.”

He said cybercriminals also pay attention to news and current events.

“So when there’s going to be a huge glut of unemployment claims, scammers know that they can kind of get in on that,” he said. “It’s almost like hiding in a crowd.”