SCAMS and CRIMES, 2010 Haiti Earthquake Response

If you uncover a scam, please report it here:

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C),
and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

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The following is a list of known scams being run by various groups and individuals. I will update or replace this list with newer ones as new info is brought to light.

GENERAL ADVICE:

Would-be donors should verify the legitimacy of groups seeking money and beware of spam attacks from people claiming to be raising money for earthquake relief efforts, the FBI said.

Specific tips from the FBI include:

-- Make contributions directly to known organizations, rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf, to ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes.

-- Be skeptical of officials asking for donations via e-mail or social-networking sites.

-- Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations, rather than following a purported link to the organization.

-- Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: Providing such information could compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

ARTICLES:

How and Where to Donate to Haiti (and Avoid Scams)
http://tiny.cc/iU0Oc

FBI warns would-be donors to be alert for scams
http://tiny.cc/N23vk

FBI: Haitian Earthquake Relief Fraud Alert
http://tiny.cc/L9374

Haiti earthquake themed blackhat SEO campaigns serving scarewarehttp://tiny.cc/WgL6T

MOVE ON: No Fees on Contributions to Haiti
http://tiny.cc/tlPXb

CRIMES:

Orphanages being robbed:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/01/21/haiti.orphanages.attacks/