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FBI Warns Of Online Haiti Earthquake Scams
Mike Sachoff
Staff Writer
2010-01-14
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Both the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are warning Internet users to be on the lookout for online scams related to Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti.
 | | FBI Warns Of Online Haiti Earthquake Scams |  |
"Whenever there is a major natural disaster, be it home or abroad, there are two things you can count on. The first is the generosity of Americans to donate time and money to help victims, and the second is the appearance of poorly run and in some cases fraudulent charities," said Art Taylor, President and CEO of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.
"Not only do Americans need to be concerned about avoiding fraud, they also need to make sure their money goes to competent relief organizations that are equipped and experienced to handle the unique challenges of providing assistance."
The FBI is recommending that Internet users do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming emails, including clicking links within those messages.
Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by using Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming a group's existence and its nonprofit status instead of following a link to a site.
Be cautious of emails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
Other tips the FBI offers include:
Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf to ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes.
Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
About the Author:
Mike is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest ebusiness news.
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