Scammers are taking advantage of the earthquake in Haiti, with some individuals sending emails asking for donations that never arrive to those in need.
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According to a blog posted by Symantec entitled 419-Style Scammers Seeking to Exploit Appeal for Donations to Support Victims of Haitian Earthquake, ‘419’ advance fee fraud scams are common and the perpetrators are always looking for new attention-grabbing topics which will trick people into handing over their money.
The company has supplied a screenshot, with the scammer listing down the correct postal address of the British Red Cross. Unfortunately, the scammer put in a Western Union account for donations, so when a reader deposits their money to the account, it goes straight to the scammer.
“Any money sent using the instructions in this email would not help anyone in Haiti, it would end up in the pockets of a cyber-criminal,” says Symantec.
The company has advised that people who want to donate should visit the Red Cross website or contact your nearest charity.
