Scammers Targeting Ebola Fears

  Scammers thrive when consumers are on high alert – whether in response to natural disasters, such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake or 2011 tsunami in Japan – or other headline-making tragedies like the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. When disasters such as these are in the news, fraudsters look to take advantage of their high visibility to peddle all means of cons. The Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa is no different.

  As the death toll from this epidemic grows, public concern about the dangers of the disease has exploded and scammers are looking to profit from this fear. NCL is echoing calls from the Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission warning consumers to be on the lookout for scams peddling snake venom, silver, herbal oils and other products that allegedly cure or prevent Ebola infections. Consumers should be aware that there are currently no FDA-approved vaccines or drugs for Ebola on the market. Experimental treatments for the disease are in extremely short supply and are not available for purchase online or in stores.

  Consumers should also be aware that charity scams looking to steal money from consumers wishing to donate to Ebola relief efforts are also likely. At Fraud.org we often see an uptick in complaints from consumers about these scams when natural disasters make news. Fraudsters may contact consumers by phone, email or text message posing as legitimate of legitimate-sounding charitable organizations and request donations. Fraud.org recommends that consumers ignore such solicitations. Instead, consider supporting a charity that has been vetted by organizations such as the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, or GuideStar. The safest way to donate it by visiting a charity’s website directly and paying by credit or debit card, which offer fraud liability protections.

  Finally, phishing scams focusing on consumer fears about Ebola have been reportedly circulating with subject lines like “People being quarantined,” and discussing an “Ebola Pandemic Update.” The goal of phishing emails is typically to trick the recipient to click on a link or open an attachment that may contain malware. This malicious software can infect the recipient’s computer to surreptitiously collect personal information, hold consumers’ data for ransom or any number of other nefarious purposes. Consumers receiving such emails should immediately delete them.

  Consumers who have received one of these solicitations can file a complaint at Fraud.org. Complaints are shared with our network of more than 90 federal, state, local and international law enforcement and consumer protection partners who can investigate these incidents.

See more at www.fraud.org