Top 5 Haiti Scams
Trend Micro Internet Security will provide you real-time security information on your search engine results. Click for a larger image.
One thing that never fails to impress me about the human spirit is the out-pouring of support, assistance and over-all sympathy when tragedy strikes. World wide, people come together and do or give whatever they can to help those in a time of crisis. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that has stuck Haiti, humanity has once again come together to show how generous and supportive we can be. And as the internet makes the world smaller, this assistance can be delivered faster than ever before.
Of course the opposite side of humanity often comes to light as well. There are those who plan, scheme and seek to take full advantage of the outpouring of generosity for their own gains. With internet technology at their disposal these schemes can be rolled out quicker and take more from unsuspecting victims; people looking to help those in need.
So what are these schemes? What should we look for, be wary of and most importantly, how do people keep themselves and ultimately those who need help from becoming the victims of these scams?
1. Fake charity or malware sites.
Scammers know those who want to help but might not know where to go are likely to go to Internet search engines for advice. Fake charitable organizations are springing up online faster than dandelions in a spring meadow. These scammers use a technique known as Search Engine Poisoning to get their sites to the top of the search engines quickly. Although they may not stay there, the majority of search engine users tend to trust the top search results as being the most relevant and therefore legitimate organizations. This gives the scammers precious time at the top of the ranks to dupe as many users as possible.
Our suggestion – always go the extra step to verify the organization you’re looking to donate to is legitimate. Nothing saves time, money and aggravation better than doing your homework and gathering all of the information before taking action. Stick to charitable organizations you know such as the Red Cross (www.redcross.org) or contact your local government for information on any grass-root efforts in your area.
Also, a quality security application such as Trend Micro Internet Security will actually provide you with information as to which search engine results have been verified as legitimate, scams or those that have not been verified yet. Please see the graphic in the article for a demonstration of this feature. This will give you a good first indication if the site is for real or just out to make a buck.
Or something worse.
2. Twitter tweets and traps.
Many see Twitter as a reliable source for breaking news and information, but just as many legitimate companies use Twitter for marketing purposes, scammers use it to market their fake charities as well. Using Twitter accounts, target links are spread in an effort to make them look like official charities or news sites related to the Haiti crisis. This is exacerbated with the use of TinyURL’s that can easily hide a shady link.
Again, be sure to verify the source and destinations of these links. If in doubt, don’t send the money. Seek out a reputable organization that you know and trust.
3. Spam and Phishing galore.
Spammers know due to the outpouring of concern over the happenings in Haiti, e-mail users are more likely to open messages with “Haiti” in the subject line. Many of these are messages designed to appear as though they are sent by not-for-profit or charitable outreach programs. Others use “Haiti” subject lines as a disguise for the usual online pharmaceutical sales, dating-sites or links to other malware infested websites.
As you know, malware sites containing rogue anti-virus programs, Trojans and key loggers are set up to steal user information and potentially damage computer data. These nefarious attempts at identity and financial theft can be even more dangerous and damaging than fake charities.
It is important to remember that unless you have supplied your email address and signed up to receive newsletters from charity organizations online, they will not send you solicitations for donations.
And as always, keep a reliable and updated security application on your PC and use common sense. Do not open emails or click links on emails without verifying the source first.
4. Haitian money scam.
Like the infamous Nigerian Money Scam or 419 scam, e-mails from supposed Haiti Earthquake victims that paint a grim picture of life and suffering in Haiti, begging for assistance are becoming more prevalent. These e-mails generally include a very convenient link to send donations as well. In most cases the link directs the user to a malware site that will infect the user’s computer with Trojans or key loggers.
As in all cases, common sense and a good mail filtering security program is still your best defense.
5. So-“phish”-tication.
Phishing attempts are becoming more sophisticated. We’re all pretty used to seeing the horribly written phishing and spam emails, wrought with misspellings and grammatical errors. New phishing attempts detected are sophisticated emails impersonating reputable charities such as the Red Cross. These lengthy emails include data and statistics that compel the reader to donate immediately to help the victims of Haiti and other disasters. However, the spoofed links in the email lead back to fake donation sites of profiteers or malware sites aiming to steal identity and personal information.
All the same suggestions apply here – charities such as the Red Cross will not send e-mails asking for donations unless you’re already on an e-mail list with them. Keep your security software updated and avoid clicking links in unsolicited e-mails.
When in doubt Aspire Technology Solutions has security experts on staff that can answer your questions and even check on the legitimacy of e-mails and websites. We also carry a wide range of security products for businesses and home PC’s that can be purchased on-line and downloaded for immediate use.
We are all concerned for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, but our assistance needs to be directed to the organizations that can provide help to those that need it.
If you’ve watched commercials while sitting in a waiting room or even checked what the weather will be like while walking through the airport – you’ve personally seen digital signage doing its job:
