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Thread: tsunami:A word of caution

  1. #1
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    tsunami:A word of caution

    A local newspaper reported that a new breed of email scam is exploiting the generosity of people who have rushed online to danate money to relief effort an internet watchdog warned last night.
    One of spams is modification of nigerian spam letters but other spam is more sophisticated in which potential donors receive an email luring them into making donation to a fake website(thus getting credit card information).
    here is a link:
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/internatio...384091,00.html
    This is not the only tsunami con.
    On 29th DEC and 2nd jan(i am not quite sure about date) there were two different ads in a national english news daily here.
    First one was a society for childerns asking donations for por childrens and other was a organisation asking people to donate for people ravaged in tsunami.
    One thing was common in those two ads they asked people to fill there credit card information in that orm and post it to a peticular address.
    I mailed to editor asking for a clerification there was no reply.I am not sure whether that is a con or not but i am concerned with whether editor of that newspaper(times of india bombay edition)tried to confirm validity of those org's.
    Anyways i didn't get any spam mails personally but there were lots of people and so called organisation(that i never heard about) approaching almost every house in every city of my country seeking a donation.

    Well personally i decided to donate in prime minister relief fund because it is tax free and there are other benefits too like no postal fee is required to send the money or D D and no charges on demand draft and affcourse that money will be in safe hands.
    And have a look at this te most disgusting email con of all time.
    http://www.techspot.com/story16690.html
    nobody is perfect i am nobody

  2. #2
    BANNED
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    If you come across a scam from someone you believe is posing as a charity organization report them to the BBB at: http://www.give.org/inquire/complaint.asp
    You can research charities on charitywatch.org, give.org, or www.freedomcorps.gov
    It sucks that there are actually people in the world that would take advantage of people during times like these.
    When death sleeps it dreams of you...

  3. #3
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    This makes me sick. Any idea where the E-Mail was directing people ?
    The fool doth think he is wise, but the wiseman knows himself to be a fool - Good Ole Bill Shakespeare

  4. #4
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    what a surprise!
    Bukhari:V3B48N826 “The Prophet said, ‘Isn’t the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?’ The women said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘This is because of the deficiency of a woman’s mind.’”

  5. #5
    er0k
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    speaking of the tsunami, does the flying of flags (in the U.S.) at half-mass for the victims not piss anyone else off?

  6. #6
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    Originally posted here by muert0
    If you come across a scam from someone you believe is posing as a charity organization report them to the BBB at: http://www.give.org/inquire/complaint.asp
    You can research charities on charitywatch.org, give.org, or www.freedomcorps.gov
    It sucks that there are actually people in the world that would take advantage of people during times like these.
    Hey muert0 thanks for suggestion.I was wondering if they only address issue of online spam or other spams too like i said about those two ads in newspaper seeking credit card information.

    I don't have any information about content of those spam mails.I was hoping anyone on AO might give any additional information.
    Reports suggest that it was some link to a web site but they didn't specify which site.
    nobody is perfect i am nobody

  7. #7
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    Yesterday when i was posting this thread about 24 hours ago there was almost no information on internet about spam.
    But today there are some. Zone-h has two related security news......
    http://www.crime-research.org/news/01.08.2005/883/
    http://www.crime-research.org/news/01.08.2005/884/

    Although it says that FBI has identified web sites which are claiming to assist in relief work in tsunami hit countries.They don't give out any url or any additional information
    nobody is perfect i am nobody

  8. #8
    AntiOnline n00b
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    Hi,

    Public warned of fake aid appeals

    People donating to the UK's tsunami relief fund have been warned by police to remain vigilant to bogus collectors trying to cash in on the disaster.

    Crooks are trying to find out people's financial details by sending e-mails asking for money, the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) warned.

    False websites purporting to be linked to charities are also spreading computer viruses.

    NCIS said people should not be put off donating, but should be vigilant.

    Meanwhile, the UK aid effort was boosted on Saturday when Chancellor Gordon Brown announced the government would refund VAT charges on all charity records and concerts raising funds for tsunami appeals.

    The money would be donated directly to the Disasters Emergency Committee, the umbrella group of charities, he added.

    More than 150,000 people have been killed by the Boxing Day tsunami in South East Asia, with the UN warning the death toll could soar as the fate of many thousands remains unknown.

    Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Friday that about 440 Britons were either dead or missing in the disaster.

    Press reports on Saturday suggested the final toll of Britons could be closer to 2,000.

    Websites investigated

    The DEC, which has received more than £100m in donations from the British public, said any faxes or e-mails purporting to be from it were hoaxes.

    Some of the e-mails offer to locate loved ones and ask for money to be deposited in overseas banks.

    Oxfam received a bogus e-mail asking for a donation of £1.50 to be paid on a phone number that cost further money.

    Scotland Yard said it was investigating a number of websites set up following the Indian Ocean earthquake.

    Essex Police said bogus collectors had left envelopes appealing for cash at homes in the county.

    Last Sunday, thieves stole a collection box from Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire.

    In Berkshire, Reading man Julian Hodgkins, 37, is due to appear before magistrates on 14 January accused of taking money collected for tsunami aid.

    Father-of-two Christopher Pierson, 40, of Ruskington, Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty on Monday to sending hoax e-mails to relatives of people missing since the tsunami.

    He sent messages to people who had posted appeals on the Sky News website, in which he said their loved ones had been killed.

    Unsolicited messages

    NCIS warned people not to respond to unsolicited e-mails or text messages, not to open attachments from unknown senders and to donate only to recognised relief organisations.

    A spokesman said: "We do not in any way wish to dissuade members of the public from donating money to the registered charity tsunami appeals.

    "But we urge them to exercise vigilance in order to prevent and disrupt these and other possible criminal scams."

    Hundreds of British Sri Lankans were expected to gather in London's Trafalgar Square on Saturday to pay respects to over 30,000 people who lost their lives when the tsunami hit the island.

    The Association of British Travel Agents has said that the majority of holiday resorts hit by the tsunami will be ready to welcome tourists again within weeks.


    NCIS can be informed about any suspicious activity at the following email address: tsunamifraud@ncis.x.gsi.gov.uk


    Source
    --Good Luck--

  9. #9
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    Yeah this shouldn't be much of a surprise to anybody [of course due warning is required]. We had people around here impersonate Salvation Army collection agents outside shops and whatnot, and they were frauds. The holidays are a big rip-off not just through the marketing and gift obsession that's so rooted in North American tradition, but also an opportunity to receive people's sympathy and financial aid. Sure, even the reputable charities are counting on it, but at least most of the money are going where you want them to go.

    Tragedies, religion, things that appeal to the individual's sense of social responsabilities or cliches... these are things that will make people stop thinking at times and just "charge it". Many would find it so unbelievable that anybody would try to profit from other's tragedies, but that's just being naive.

    Thanks for the heads-up on the scam... the problem here is that you can't decide how much you want to donate, really... since the scammers can drain the CC.

    Still a good idea to heed the advice of many [including Mitnick ] and use a low-amout credit card for anything online [or see if the bank allows for restrictions on things that are bought online, not sure if/how that's always possible]. And follow your instincts... if it doesn't feel right, don't do it [I do not mean giving to charity but the way the charity is set-up].
    /\\

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