Scam artists capitalize on tragedy
Spam urging Red Cross donations sends users to trick site
By Bob Sullivan
MSNBC
Sept. 13 ? Consumer protection advocates are warning Internet users that scam artists are trying to take advantage of Tuesday?s terrorist attacks. Spam solicitations have been sent out urging Netizens to donate money to the Red Cross or other relief organizations. But the e-mails direct potential donors to private Web sites apparently designed to steal credit card
numbers.
ONE SUCH E-MAIL discovered by the non-profit consumer group ?SpamCom Foundation? arrives from ?expressrelieffund2001@yahoo.com? with the subject line ?Help for the Red Cross and the victims of our Nations tragedy.? But instead of linking to a Red Cross site, the e-mail sends visitors to a privately-held Web site.
While the site mentioned in the ?expressrelieffund2001? is no longer operational, an expert warns that there are already several variations of the scam.
?It?s shocking to anyone. But this kind of thing is not new in the spam world,? said Tom Geller, executive director of the SpamCom Foundation. ? ?WTC spams? appeared within an hour of the World Trade Center disaster.?
Another scam mail urges consumers to buy phone cards with images of the New York City, promising to donate ?donate 10% of the proceeds of the sale of this commemorative card? to victims.
HOW TO HELP
Blood and platelet donors will be needed over the next several weeks to help replenish the nation's supply. Call the Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or America's Blood Centers at 1-888-BLOOD-88 to schedule an appointment.
To donate money to the Red Cross for assisting victims of the attacks, call 1-800-HELP-NOW.
The United Way of New York and The New York Community Trust have established a fund to help the victims of Tuesday's attacks and their families. Anyone wishing to contribute may call
(212) 251-4035.
To make donations to the Salvation Army for helping the victims, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
For more information on helping victims of the U.S. attacks, visit Helping.org.
TIPS
The FBI set up a Web site where people could report any tips or other information: www.ifccfbi.gov. Intelligence officials told NBC News they were especially eager to recover any video that tourists may have been shooting before and during the attacks. Call 212-577-TIPS if you have any live video of World Trade Center crowds or damage.
SURVIVORS
If you are in one of the attack areas and in need of assistance, contact FEMA at 1-800-426-9029
The Justice Department?s Office of Victims of Crime established a hotline for families seeking information about victims and survivors. The number is 1-800-331-0075.
Families of American Airlines passengers can contact the airline at 1-800-245-0999.
Families of United Airlines passengers can contact the airline at 1-800-932-8555.
Navy and Marine personnel who were in the building at the time of the attack can call 1-877-663-6772 number so that the services can put together a roster. Army personnel assigned to the Pentagon should call 1-800-984-8523.
Family members of military personnel seeking information should call 1-800-984-8523 (Army), 1-877-663-6772 (Navy and Marine Corps.), 1-800-253-9276 (Air Force).
Morgan Stanley has an emergency contact phone number. Employees and their families can call 1-888-883-4391.
Cantor Fitzgerald Inc. has an emergency contact phone number. Employees and their families can call 203-662-3600.
Aon encourages all families of its 1100 employees who worked in World Trade Center Tower 2 to call 1-866-256-4154.
FirstGov has a comprehensive list of U.S. government resources and information at http://www.firstgov.gov/featured/usgresponse.html
Web sites are available for people who still haven't been able to contact their family members: http://okay.prodigy.net/, http://www.viexpo.com/dmstest/america.html, http://safe.millennium.berkeley.edu/find.php, http://www.bostoncoop.net:8080/SeptEleven?
PersonalStatus
Printable version
Source: MSNBC research
The Internet Scambusters agency reports finding similar scam attempts.
?We?ve received reports of spammers sending out calls for assistance for ?emergency relief funds, and directing the recipients to contribute money to the Red Cross - through the spammers? Web sites. Many of these spammers are trying to steal money and
credit card numbers,? the group said in its newsletter today. ?Do NOT respond to these emails!?
Web users who feel the urge to contribute financially to the relief efforts should be suspicious of any e-mail solicitation, Geller said. His organization offers these tips:
If you don?t know the organization or person who sent the request, it?s probably fraudulent.
Virtually no bona-fide relief agencies request funds by sending email to people who are not already involved in that agency. Solicitations made in this way may also violate laws in the United States and Europe.
If you click on a link to donate, examine the URL shown in your browser. If the domain name of the URL is hidden, unfamiliar, or doesn?t match the link?s text, the request is probably fraudulent.
Verify the solicitor?s identity through another medium (such as phone) before giving money. Spammers frequently forge the identity and style of well-known entities to gain credibility.
Geller said he had not yet heard of any victims falling for the scam.
Those wishing to donate to the Red Cross can visit the agency?s official Web site at visit their official Web site at http://www.redcross.org . Paypal.com and Amazon.com are also accepting Red Cross donations.
Spam urging Red Cross donations sends users to trick site
By Bob Sullivan
MSNBC
Sept. 13 ? Consumer protection advocates are warning Internet users that scam artists are trying to take advantage of Tuesday?s terrorist attacks. Spam solicitations have been sent out urging Netizens to donate money to the Red Cross or other relief organizations. But the e-mails direct potential donors to private Web sites apparently designed to steal credit card
numbers.
ONE SUCH E-MAIL discovered by the non-profit consumer group ?SpamCom Foundation? arrives from ?expressrelieffund2001@yahoo.com? with the subject line ?Help for the Red Cross and the victims of our Nations tragedy.? But instead of linking to a Red Cross site, the e-mail sends visitors to a privately-held Web site.
While the site mentioned in the ?expressrelieffund2001? is no longer operational, an expert warns that there are already several variations of the scam.
?It?s shocking to anyone. But this kind of thing is not new in the spam world,? said Tom Geller, executive director of the SpamCom Foundation. ? ?WTC spams? appeared within an hour of the World Trade Center disaster.?
Another scam mail urges consumers to buy phone cards with images of the New York City, promising to donate ?donate 10% of the proceeds of the sale of this commemorative card? to victims.
HOW TO HELP
Blood and platelet donors will be needed over the next several weeks to help replenish the nation's supply. Call the Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or America's Blood Centers at 1-888-BLOOD-88 to schedule an appointment.
To donate money to the Red Cross for assisting victims of the attacks, call 1-800-HELP-NOW.
The United Way of New York and The New York Community Trust have established a fund to help the victims of Tuesday's attacks and their families. Anyone wishing to contribute may call
(212) 251-4035.
To make donations to the Salvation Army for helping the victims, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
For more information on helping victims of the U.S. attacks, visit Helping.org.
TIPS
The FBI set up a Web site where people could report any tips or other information: www.ifccfbi.gov. Intelligence officials told NBC News they were especially eager to recover any video that tourists may have been shooting before and during the attacks. Call 212-577-TIPS if you have any live video of World Trade Center crowds or damage.
SURVIVORS
If you are in one of the attack areas and in need of assistance, contact FEMA at 1-800-426-9029
The Justice Department?s Office of Victims of Crime established a hotline for families seeking information about victims and survivors. The number is 1-800-331-0075.
Families of American Airlines passengers can contact the airline at 1-800-245-0999.
Families of United Airlines passengers can contact the airline at 1-800-932-8555.
Navy and Marine personnel who were in the building at the time of the attack can call 1-877-663-6772 number so that the services can put together a roster. Army personnel assigned to the Pentagon should call 1-800-984-8523.
Family members of military personnel seeking information should call 1-800-984-8523 (Army), 1-877-663-6772 (Navy and Marine Corps.), 1-800-253-9276 (Air Force).
Morgan Stanley has an emergency contact phone number. Employees and their families can call 1-888-883-4391.
Cantor Fitzgerald Inc. has an emergency contact phone number. Employees and their families can call 203-662-3600.
Aon encourages all families of its 1100 employees who worked in World Trade Center Tower 2 to call 1-866-256-4154.
FirstGov has a comprehensive list of U.S. government resources and information at http://www.firstgov.gov/featured/usgresponse.html
Web sites are available for people who still haven't been able to contact their family members: http://okay.prodigy.net/, http://www.viexpo.com/dmstest/america.html, http://safe.millennium.berkeley.edu/find.php, http://www.bostoncoop.net:8080/SeptEleven?
PersonalStatus
Printable version
Source: MSNBC research
The Internet Scambusters agency reports finding similar scam attempts.
?We?ve received reports of spammers sending out calls for assistance for ?emergency relief funds, and directing the recipients to contribute money to the Red Cross - through the spammers? Web sites. Many of these spammers are trying to steal money and
credit card numbers,? the group said in its newsletter today. ?Do NOT respond to these emails!?
Web users who feel the urge to contribute financially to the relief efforts should be suspicious of any e-mail solicitation, Geller said. His organization offers these tips:
If you don?t know the organization or person who sent the request, it?s probably fraudulent.
Virtually no bona-fide relief agencies request funds by sending email to people who are not already involved in that agency. Solicitations made in this way may also violate laws in the United States and Europe.
If you click on a link to donate, examine the URL shown in your browser. If the domain name of the URL is hidden, unfamiliar, or doesn?t match the link?s text, the request is probably fraudulent.
Verify the solicitor?s identity through another medium (such as phone) before giving money. Spammers frequently forge the identity and style of well-known entities to gain credibility.
Geller said he had not yet heard of any victims falling for the scam.
Those wishing to donate to the Red Cross can visit the agency?s official Web site at visit their official Web site at http://www.redcross.org . Paypal.com and Amazon.com are also accepting Red Cross donations.
