After the devastating phenomenon that strike Japan last March 11, 2011 many of the people around the world wanted to reach out and help by donating money for those who have been affected by disaster.
But sad to say that in the midst of this misery comes fraudster and scam artist.
Cyber criminals are now spreading throughout the internet pretending to be the institutions that are helping the victims in Japan.
According to experts from the antivirus firm Trend Micro, subsequent to what happened in Japan, many websites have arise in the net posing legitimate charity, soliciting donations for the victims of quake and tsunami in Japan.
Among the institutions that are being used by cyber criminals is the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the Red Cross.
Myla Pilao director of Trend Micro’s core technology marketing said that Fraudsters pretend to be a legitimate institution and urge people to donate money into specific bank accounts or send donations through online payment like Paypal. But instead of going into the charities money’s that are being donated by the people end up to the pockets of scammers.
Such websites of cyber criminals are not easy to identify as fraud for it also ask for credit cards and personal information. Ms. Pilao added
The scam was first discovered by the Trend Micro when a suspicious message was sent into corporate organizations, nongovernment agencies, government officials, celebrities and other individual asking for donation of at least a dollar.
The message states “Your one cent or one dollar counts at this critical time for the children and citizens of Japan and whatever support you rendered will be awarded by God”.
Information’s of donors including their full name, phone number and email address are being asked in the fraud site and that after sending it the agency will contact them and give instruction on how to donate via Paypal or Western Union.