The United Nations warned of an increase in fraud activities through fake donation pages, following natural disasters.
She stated that she had monitored a growth in these pages on social media platforms.
These scams not only steal donors’ money, but also “naturally hinder donations from reaching official organizations and those in need,” according to the United Nations.
Therefore, care must be taken while donating money, and there are tools that help the person to reveal the identity of the fraudsters, including:
- Information poverty:
A simple tool to help in this area is that fake donation pages lack information about the organizers or recipients of the fundraiser.
The lack of this information is a warning that users may end up losing their money to scammers.
And if someone wants to donate money or material in kind, they should check that the charities are officially registered.
Cybersecurity experts recommend checking that charities are officially registered in a reputable database to ensure they are legitimate.
Electronic hackers are keen to provide easy and multiple money transfer options, including payment with credit cards and digital currency accounts.
- Urgency and impersonation of victims:
But in order to get the money, they use financial pressure tactics such as bullying and impersonating victims.
Resorting to well-known international organizations that provide humanitarian support is always an appropriate option. In addition, the authorities in each country publish a list of official channels that advise those who wish to donate to resort to them.
Technical tools and personal responsibility
“The fraudster is opportunistic and tries to benefit from any news, whether it is a war or a disaster,” Muhammad Hasibini, director of the global research and analysis team at the cybersecurity company “Kaspersky”, told Sky News Arabia.
He adds that a disaster such as the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria sympathizes the people in general and encourages donations, which calls on fraudsters to seize this opportunity to steal part of the donations.
He points out the importance of being careful when donating money, especially to people who are “integrated into communication sites,” referring to fake accounts that impersonate accounts of famous people and others, referring them to fake sites.
He stresses the importance of electronic protection on electronic devices, in order to try to stop fake websites.
He states that there is a responsibility on the individual, “We are trying to do good, so good must be done in the right place,” which means verifying the identity of the organization to which the person donates.
#Fraud #crises. #morals #due #caution