Senior Online Safety - Aid ScamsAid Scams, moving seemingly as fast a the typhoon.

As the world reacts to the tragedy of the Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines with sympathy, empathy and aid, the criminal elements went into overdrive with their aid scams designed to siphon some of the generosity off of the cash flowing to bonafide charitable organizations. The most common format being encountered is the email containing phish.

Some basic steps will keep your donations going to bonafide organizations and not into the hands of the criminals.  First and foremost, never donate with cash. When your phone rings soliciting your credit card, hang up.  Receive an email asking you to wire or send money to a specific individual or charitable entity, just hit delete.  Do research the organization to which you are donating, if you have a hard time finding any data on the entity, that is the clue for you to look for another charity.

The good folks at Symantec – posted an example of phish email designed to tug at your sympathetic heart strings.  Don’t fall for it, here is the picture of the scam requesting a donor to contact the originator so that you, the donor, could use Western Union to send a donation.

Senior Online Security - Phishing scam surrounding typhoon
Phishing scam

Here are two posts, both from the personal blogs of Prevendra’s CEO, Christopher Burgess which identify bonafide charities on the ground in the Philippines who can and will put your dollars to work in assisting the recovery of the people of the Philippines.

Super Typhoon Haiyan – Veritate et Virtute

Typhoon Haiyan – plea for aid – Burgessct.com

Please do assist the good people of the Philippines, please also do your homework, select only bonafide organizations.

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