Jan. 6, 2005–The FBI has issued a statement warning the public about fraudulent tsunami relief efforts.
Scam Web sites have been established purportedly for collecting donations, according to the FBI. Several schemes also involve unsolicited spam e-mails or responses to families who post their e-mail addresses in hopes of locating lost loved ones.
The FBI recommends that donors ignore unsolicited e-mails and be skeptical of people claiming to be survivors or foreign government officials. Donors should go directly to recognized charities’ Web sites instead of following links and should verify an organization’s legitimacy.
Scams can be reported by contacting the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.