It’s sad but true; criminals take advantage of tragedy and times of crisis. As the Ebola outbreak carries on and fears continue to run high, there have been reports of a variety of scams related to the outbreak from fake Ebola cures being sold, to computer phishing scams and false charities seeking donations.
Last week we wrote about how to fight acute Ebola Awareness Syndrome – also known as “Fearbola” – and it seems that hyper-concern about Ebola is continuing to be a problem for some people. The Food and Drug Administration first warned consumers not to purchase anything which is being marketed as a cure or prevention aid to Ebola in August and that stance hasn’t changed. It’s a difficult time and it’s extremely frustrating to hear that there isn’t any silver bullet for the Ebola problem – but it’s true.
There is some good news – there are experimental Ebola vaccines and treatments being tested at this time and perhaps they will yield some positive results. But for the time being, they still have to be proven safe and effective and they’re only available to a very small number of people in the worst affected areas.
To help combat this criminal behavior you can warn any friends or family members who may be vulnerable to such scams and make sure to report any offers you see for cure-alls and preventive treatments for Ebola to the FDA or BBB.
The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, US-CERT, is also warning people to be wary of potential phishing, or online, attacks. As we mentioned last week – Ebola is currently a hot news topic. Online scammers prey on the curiosity of the unsuspecting public by using Ebola subject headings in phishing emails.
You should always use caution when you receive an unsolicited link in an email – at this time you should be extra careful if you receive an email that has “Ebola” as the topic and unexplained web links in it, do not click on the link. This is likely a virus or other malware. If you received it from someone you know, you can contact them to confirm if it is safe or not. If you don’t know the sender, it’s almost definitely something bad and you should report it to your email provider. If you are worried you’re missing out on important information, check in with a trusted news source.
As aid efforts for the Ebola crisis begin to gain steam, charities make an appealing cover for criminal activity. An online donation account was set up in the name of one of the nurses who contracted Ebola after treating a patient suffering from the virus in Dallas but her family was quick to publicly announce that they were not involved with the effort. Dozens of other similar accounts have been set up in the names of well-known Ebola victims. It’s also been reported that some scammers have been so bold as to actually call people, posing as charity workers.
If ever there was a cause worthy of receiving financial help – no matter how small – it would be the effort to help fight this Ebola outbreak. Make sure that you’re sending any donations to reputable and trusted sources.
While it is unfortunate that there are unscrupulous people out there preying on the fears of others during an international crisis – at least there are lots of diligent citizens out there trying their best to spread the word. Join the fight against Ebola related fraud by telling your friends and family what to look out for and avoid.
