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DCCA NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Honolulu, Hawaii, September 14, 2001 |
STATE WARNS CONSUMERS AGAINST ONLINE SCAMS
The State of Hawaii’s Office of Consumer Protection is warning consumers that con artists are hatching internet schemes through email to profit from the heinous attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. A typical email message claims to be part of an "Express Relief Fund" or "Victims Survivor Fund". Another ruse has come from criminals impersonating legitimate charities, such as the Red Cross, in which unsolicited e-mails direct potential donors to private unrelated Web sites designed to steal credit card numbers.
According to State Consumer Protector, Steve Levins, consumers should be extremely careful in donating to unfamiliar organizations, posing as charities. "As incredible as it may seem, criminals are out there trying to capitalize on this tragedy, trying to steal your money. People need to know who they are dealing with before donating."
Web users who feel the urge to contribute financially to the relief efforts should be suspicious of any e-mail solicitation. Here are a few tips to follow:
- If you don’t know the organization or person who sent the request, there’s a good chance it may be fraudulent.
- Virtually no bona-fide relief agencies request funds by sending email to people who are not already involved in that agency.
- Verify the solicitor’s identity through another medium (such as phone) before giving money. Spammers frequently forge the identity and style of well-known charities to gain credibility.
Anyone receiving charitable solicitations that they believe to be fraudulent should contact the State of Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection at 586-2653.