Charity and disaster scam: كيف يعمل وعلامات التحذير وماذا تفعل

Social engineering · médio

Within hours of a disaster, profiles, sites and crowdfunding pages appear with names resembling known charities, moving photos and personal Pix keys or payment links. There are also calls and emails from supposed NGOs, firefighters or churches.

Some campaigns use AI-generated images or photos from other events. Others impersonate real victims or relatives to ask for direct help. Some scammers also offer to "help" victims obtain government aid, charging a fee or stealing their data.

Sinais / Signs

A name very similar to a well-known charity
Payment to an individual, crypto, gift cards or wire
Pressure to donate immediately
No information on who runs it and how money will be used
Images that show up in other contexts in a reverse search

Prevenção / Prevention

Donate directly through official channels of known charities
In the US, check the charity with services like Charity Navigator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance or the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search
In Brazil, check the organization's CNPJ and prefer campaigns promoted by governments and recognized organizations
Check the recipient's name before confirming a Pix
Pay by credit card when possible

O que fazer / What to do

Notify your bank or card issuer and request a dispute
Report the campaign to the crowdfunding platform or social network
Report to the FTC (US) or file a police report (Brazil); disaster-related fraud in the US can also be reported to IC3
If you paid by Pix, ask your bank to open a MED claim

FAQ

Are online crowdfunding campaigns safe?

Many are legitimate, but anyone can create one. Check who organizes it and their connection to beneficiaries.

Is donating goods safer than money?

It can be, if done at official drop-off points. But reputable organizations often prefer money through verified channels.

FTC - ReportFraud · FBI IC3 - Internet Crime Complaint Center · Consumidor.gov.br · Finsiders - Novo MED do Pix