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ESET WARNS OF POTENTIAL ONLINE SCAMS LINKED TO HURRICANE KATRINA
SAN DIEGO, Calif.—August 31, 2005 - ESET, a global security software solutions company providing next-generation malware protection, today warns consumers of possible online scams that exploit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Emails requesting monetary donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina are already circulating. Scam artists often prey upon the sympathy for tragedy victims by sending out millions of spam messages requesting aid sent to a particular bank account or donated from a Web site linked from the email. Such scams circulated widely after the devastating December 2004 tsunami in Asia and the 9/11 attacks in New York. As many of these emails are constructed to look legitimate, consumers should be very cautious when making donations by abiding by the following recommendations.
How to Spot a Scam
- If you didn’t opt-in— legitimate charities only send appeals to individuals who have explicitly chosen to receive emails from the organization. Unsolicited, such emails are almost always fraudulent.
- Don’t be fooled by appearance—emails can appear legitimate by copying the graphics and language of a legitimate organization. Many include tragic stories of victims of the disaster.
- Don’t click through to links—links in emails can lead to “spoofed” Web sites that mirror the look and feel of a genuine organization.
Making Real Donations
- While some emails may be genuine, it is too difficult to confirm or track that donations reached the intended recipient.
- Type the URL of a legitimate aid group directly into your Internet browser (do not click through from any source).
- Follow the Web site’s instructions on how to send donations. This will ensure that the funds actually reach the intended recipient and that these charities will be able to do the greatest good.
ESET encourages consumers to make their donations directly to recognized charities and aid organizations to ensure that they are used for the intended purpose. Also, in the coming weeks consumers should be cautious of any emails with photos of the disaster-stricken areas included as attached files. The attachments most likely will contain a virus. It is always recommended that Internet users only open attachments they are expecting to receive.
“It’s unfortunate how criminals are so quick to take advantage of the suffering of the victims of tragedies and exploit genuine goodwill for their own gain,” said Andrew Lee, CTO of ESET. “Though it’s easy to be moved by the tragedy, we can’t let down our guard. People should use their heads as much as their hearts when looking to make a donation.”
About ESET
Founded in 1992, ESET is a global provider of security software solutions for enterprises and consumers. ESET’s award-winning, anti-threat software system, NOD32, provides real-time protection from known and unknown viruses, spyware and other malware. NOD32 offers the smallest, fastest and most advanced protection available, with more Virus Bulletin 100% Awards than any other antivirus product (www.virusbulletin.com). ESET was named to Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 three years running, and has an extensive partner network, including corporations like Canon, Dell and Microsoft. ESET has offices in San Diego,USA, Bratislava, SK, London, UK, Prague, CZ and is represented worldwide in more than 80 countries. For more information, visit www.eset.com or call 619-319-3000.
