Auctionbytes-NewsFlash, Number 927 - January 07, 2005 - ISSN 1539-5065
Previous Story |
| Next Story
Tsunami Disaster Relief Fraud Alert
By Company-Issued Press Release
AuctionBytes.com
The FBI today is alerting the public to a variety of scams currently being facilitated online involving the solicitation of additional relief funds for the victims of the recent Tsunami disaster.
The FBI, through the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), has received reports of websites being established purportedly to assist with collection and relief efforts. Complaints submitted to the IC3 have identified several schemes that involve both unsolicited in-coming emails (SPAM), as well as reports of responses to posted email addresses, to assist for a fee, in locating loved ones who may have been a victim of the disaster. A fraudulent relief donation website has also been detected containing an imbedded Trojan exploit which can infect the user's computer with a virus if accessed.
The FBI, in conjunction with domestic with international law enforcement and industry partners, take seriously these egregious actions and are resolved to aggressively pursuing those who would attempt to victimize philanthropic individuals.
The IC3 is cautioning citizens against participating in this type of on-line correspondence. Consistent with previous guidance on incidents of Phishing/Spoofing and Identity Theft, when considering on-line options for providing funding to this relief effort consumers should consider the following:
Do not respond to any unsolicited (SPAM) incoming emails.
Be skeptical of individuals claiming to be surviving victims or foreign government officials asking for help in placing large sums of money in overseas bank accounts.
To ensure that contributions to U.S. based non-profit organizations are used for intended purposes, go directly to recognized charities and aid organizations websites, as opposed to following a link to another site.
Attempt to verify the legitimacy of non-profit organizations by utilizing various Internet based resources which may assist in confirming the existence of the organization as well as its non-profit status.
Be leery of emails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from know senders.
Several variations of this scam are currently in circulation. Anyone who has received an email referencing the above information or anyone who may have been a victim of this or a similar incident should notify the IC3 via the website, www.ic3.gov
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel05/tsunamiscam010505.htm
Email this story to a friend. Previous Story |
| Next Story
Related Stories
Letter from Reader - Response to Last Issue's Editorial: 'Real World' Auctions Have Problems, Too - June 17, 2000, Issue #16
Snitching on Shilling Sellers or Bad Bidders - January 06, 2001, Issue #29
$425 for an Empty Box? - February 01, 2001, Issue #11
Online Auction Fraud - Another Study - February 01, 2001, Issue #11
Busted! Auction Fraud Perpetrators Arrested and Charged - February 15, 2001, Issue #22
Beware Male Individuals from California, Florida and New York - March 07, 2001, Issue #36
State Attorney-General Sues Shill Bidder - March 28, 2001, Issue #50
Harry Potter Auction Fraud - April 10, 2001, Issue #59
FTC Reports on Fraud Online - April 16, 2001, Issue #63
Suspended eBay Member Keeps Selling after Purchasing Someone Else's eBay Account - April 17, 2001, Issue #64
New Report: 'Online Auctions - A Best Practices Report' - April 22, 2001, Issue #67
International Effort to Combat E-Commerce Fraud - April 24, 2001, Issue #69
Fools Say Sellers Beware - May 03, 2001, Issue #75
More Press for Auction Fraud - May 14, 2001, Issue #81
Reader Questions eBay's Policy on Scurrilous CDs - May 19, 2001, Issue #38
PayPal to Discuss Anti-Fraud Efforts at FBI Press Conference Today - May 22, 2001, Issue #87
Online Scammer Strikes Again - June 05, 2001, Issue #96
Authorities Drop Auction-Fraud Charges - June 07, 2001, Issue #98
California Man Pleads Guilty to Internet Fraud - June 10, 2001, Issue #99
Fake Honus Wagner Baseball Draws $20,000 in Bids - June 13, 2001, Issue #102
Online Fraud Continues - June 14, 2001, Issue #103
Auction Sites Asked to Provide Data to Congress - June 26, 2001, Issue #111
eBay to Lawmakers: No to Anti-Fraud Legislation, Yes to Anti-Harvesting Legislation - June 28, 2001, Issue #113
Police Arrest Auction-Fraud Suspect - July 16, 2001, Issue #124
5 Online-Auction-Fraud Indictments - August 02, 2001, Issue #132
Airborne Express Denies Relationship with Prepaidshippingonline.com - August 23, 2001, Issue #147
Charity Checklist - September 22, 2001, Issue #47
Online Payment Services - Lacking in Fraud Protection - September 22, 2001, Issue #47
eBay Drags Feet Over Fraud Complaints? - October 02, 2001, Issue #174
PayPal Discloses High Rate of Chargebacks - October 06, 2001, Issue #49
Bargains & Deals Magazine Fails to Deliver - October 18, 2001, Issue #185
U. K. Tackles CyberCrime - October 25, 2001, Issue #190
Avoid Internet Fraud - November 07, 2001, Issue #199
FBI Implements Restructuring Plan, Creates Cybercrime Division - December 04, 2001, Issue #215
Internet-Auction Fraudster Charged In Massachusetts - December 16, 2001, Issue #222
PayPal Imposter Tries Ripoff Tactic - December 19, 2001, Issue #225
U.S. Consumer Resources - Shop Smart - December 22, 2001, Issue #60
Ripped Off on eBay - The Case of Mr X - January 20, 2002, Issue #62
Editorial: Can eBay Do More to Stop Serial Offenders? - January 20, 2002, Issue #62
Letters to the Editor - January 20, 2002, Issue #62
FTC Says Internet Auction Fraud Is #2 Complaint - January 24, 2002, Issue #245
Swindled eBayers Take Matters Into their Own Hands - January 25, 2002, Issue #246
'Safe SEC': SEC Demonstrates Dangers of Casual Investing - January 29, 2002, Issue #248
Ripped Off on eBay - The Case of Mr X, Part 2 - February 03, 2002, Issue #63
Editorial: Can eBay Do More to Stop Serial Offenders? Part 2 - February 03, 2002, Issue #63
Authorities Crack Glass Shill-Bidding Ring on eBay - February 08, 2002, Issue #255
Warning to eBay Users: Beware Fraudulent Emails! - February 12, 2002, Issue #257
Latest Online Auction Related Scam: Bogus PayPal Lawsuit Sites - February 26, 2002, Issue #265
Man Accused of eBay Fraud Gets Jail Time - March 11, 2002, Issue #273
AuctionBlackList Creates Online Auction Fraud Database - March 17, 2002, Issue #66
New Report: Online Auction Fraud Tops List of Internet Fraud Complaints - April 11, 2002, Issue #295
Online Auction Service eDeal Signs Agreement with eDeposit to Reduce Online Fraud - April 11, 2002, Issue #295
eBay Changes Its Feedback & Customer Service Policies - April 29, 2002, Issue #305
eBay Announces Authentication Services from VeriSign, Square Trade - May 09, 2002, Issue #313
eBay PowerSeller Arrested for Grand Larceny and Scheme to Defraud - May 24, 2002, Issue #323
Online Auction Seller Indicted on Mail Fraud Charges - May 31, 2002, Issue #327
eBay PowerSeller Charged with Grand Larceny, Begins Making Restitution - June 21, 2002, Issue #340
eBay Rolls Out VeriSign-Backed Security Feature - July 26, 2002, Issue #367
eBay Top Enforcer Hosts Live Chat to Speak on Fraud - August 07, 2002, Issue #370
Online Auction Fraud: What You Should Know, Part 1 - August 11, 2002, Issue #76
Online Auction Fraud: What You Should Know, Part 2 - August 25, 2002, Issue #77
Online Auction Fraud: What You Should Know, Part 3 - September 08, 2002, Issue #78
U.S. Postal Inspectors Applaud PayPal's Anti-Fraud Efforts - September 26, 2002, Issue #401
eBay Auction Fraud Spawns Vigilantism Trend - October 12, 2002, Issue #411
Online Escrow Fraud Hits eBay Members - October 25, 2002, Issue #421
eBay Members Scammed by Fraudulent Escrow Sites - October 26, 2002, Issue #422
Former Massachusetts Woman Convicted of Fraud in Online Auction Case - October 29, 2002, Issue #424
Wiping Out Online Auction Fraud - November 03, 2002, Issue #82
Hoax eMails Continue to Plague eBay Users - November 07, 2002, Issue #430
Connecticut Woman Cops a Plea in eBay Scam - November 13, 2002, Issue #434
FTC Charges eBay Seller for Violating FTC Act - November 14, 2002, Issue #435
New Twist Added to Hoax Emails as Identity Theft Rises - November 27, 2002, Issue #433
eBay Seller Pleads Guilty to $800,000 Auction Fraud Scheme - December 23, 2002, Issue #450
From the Editor - January 05, 2003, Issue #86
MIT Student Sentenced for Selling Stolen Goods on eBay - January 06, 2003, Issue #455
eBay/PayPal Fraud with a Twist: International Money Laundering - January 29, 2003, Issue #472
Online Fraud: It Can't Happen to Me - February 02, 2003, Issue #88
Small-Time eBay Scams & Annoyances - February 16, 2003, Issue #89
Nigerian Fraud Scheme Hits eBayers - March 03, 2003, Issue #494
eBay's Fraud Detection System Asleep at the Wheel? - March 07, 2003, Issue #498
eBay Fiddles While Users Get Burned by Fraud - March 12, 2003, Issue #500
eBay Fraud Update: 285 Victims Report Losing $60,000 - March 14, 2003, Issue #501
IFCC Releases Annual Internet Fraud Report - April 10, 2003, Issue #516
Jobseekers: Beware New eBay Scam - April 21, 2003, Issue #522
FTC Cracks Down on Online Auction Scams - May 01, 2003, Issue #529
eBay Hires Cyber Security Guru - May 02, 2003, Issue #530
Online-Auction Fraud Targets Sellers - May 04, 2003, Issue #94
eBay Fraud Update: Victims Report Losing $110,000 - May 07, 2003, Issue #532
eBay Fraud Suspect Commits Suicide as Scams Unravel - May 13, 2003, Issue #536
Cyber Criminals Beware: Victims Are Watching You - May 19, 2003, Issue #540
Cybervigilism Helps Crack Online Fraud Case - May 27, 2003, Issue #544
eBay PowerSeller Arrested in Utah - June 13, 2003, Issue #556
eBay Announces PayPal Buyer Protection Program - July 02, 2003, Issue #569
eBay Joins New Coalition to Fight Online Identity Theft - September 03, 2003, Issue #601
PayPal's eBay-Fraud Protection Program to Launch October 14 - September 12, 2003, Issue #607
Survey Says Fraud is a Problem on eBay and Other Sites - September 21, 2003, Issue #103
eBay Users Allege Single Mom Ripped Them Off - October 15, 2003, Issue #628
eBay Adds Warning to Member-to-Member Emails - October 22, 2003, Issue #633
eBay to Present at Congressional Panel on CyberSecurity - November 19, 2003, Issue #650
Counterfeit Cashier’s Check Scheme Strikes Online Sellers - December 01, 2003, Issue #657
U.S. FTC Releases Top 10 Consumer Complaint Categories in 2003 - January 23, 2004, Issue #687
PayPal Buyer Protection Policy Bears Close Scrutiny - February 08, 2004, Issue #112
Victims of eBay Laptop Scam See Justice - May 07, 2004, Issue #756
Online Shoppers Getting Smarter about Online Security - May 11, 2004, Issue #758
eBay Scammers Settle FTC Charges - September 15, 2004, Issue #848
Experts Advise Caution When Buying Jewelry at Online Auctions - November 17, 2004, Issue #892
eBay User Goes on Malicious-Bidding Rampage Saturday - November 27, 2004, Issue #898
eBay Enables Users to Donate to Tsunami Relief Efforts with PayPal - December 31, 2004, Issue #922
eBay Drop-off Store Helps with Tsunami Disaster Relief - December 31, 2004, Issue #922
Online Users Make Contribution to Tsunami Disaster Relief Efforts - December 31, 2004, Issue #922
Online Auction Community Raises Money for Tsunami Relief Efforts - January 06, 2005, Issue #926
Merchant Risk Council Hosts Third Internet Fraud Prevention Conference - January 07, 2005, Issue #927
Online Auction Community Continues Fundraising for Tsunami Relief - January 12, 2005, Issue #930
Internet Auction Fraud Among FTC's Top 10 Consumer Complaints for 2004 - February 02, 2005, Issue #945
Interview with an eBay Vigilante - February 06, 2005, Issue #136
Scammers Target eBay Sellers Using Email Feature - April 08, 2005, Issue #992
eBay Wholesale List Scams: Buyer Beware - April 19, 2005, Issue #999
Discuss this story in our forums.
