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- Online Donations: Avoiding Charity and Crowdfunding Scams
When disaster strikes, the human spirit doesn’t falter. Millions of people generously pledge money online, as friends and colleagues pool their resources to contribute to a cause. Thanks to the possibilities allowed by the Internet, activities like crowdfunding and other relief-driven projects are given a better platform to raise awareness and reach a worldwide audience. Online social networking platforms especially, have played an important role in building support for certain causes. For example, the Ice Bucket Challenge campaign that promoted awareness of the disease ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) encouraged massive donations to research as it went viral on social media. During the weeks of the challenge’s popularity, it was reported that the ALS’s Association received $41.8 million.
While such humanitarian efforts are good for the intended beneficiaries, the potential for good cannot negate the instances of abuse that do occasionally occur. As seen in many previous incidents, many scammers take advantage of philanthropic acts done online and use social engineering lures to trick people into donating their money to perpetrators. Here are some notable online donation scams in the past that have victimized unknowing donors:
How to avoid being a victim
While these schemes seem deplorable to us, it's simply business for cybercriminals. As long as there’s an opportunity, scammers will leverage them to steal money from users, and they know that scams are easier to pull off when potential donors are running high on emotions. To avoid being a victim, it’s important to be alert when it comes to donating your money online. Here are some useful tips on how you can protect yourself:
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