How cybercriminals are scamming people who want to donate to Israel, Gaza victims

The stories and photographs from the Israel-Hamas war are heartbreaking. The 19 days of raging conflict have claimed more than 6,000 lives on both sides. The Israeli military is preparing for a ground invasion as the Gaza Strip is battling a humanitarian crisis with no access to clean water and a shortage of fuel. The situation has left the world divided and evoked strong emotions and hackers are making the most out of it, fooling people through scam emails and websites on charity. Cyber-security experts have identified scam donation campaigns exploiting people willing to offer aid to those affected by the war. According to the cybersecurity company Kaspersky, scammers are sending deceptive emails asking for donations, which leads to the theft of their money, reports The Times of India (ToI). Scam emails asking for donations Cybercriminals have reportedly sent out over 500 scam emails and created fraudulent websites to expedite the “money transfer process”, said Kaspersky. Scammers are posing as charitable organisations and using language that plays on sentiments to entice people to click on a fake website link, where they are prompted to contribute to a “cause”. There has been a surge in emails written in English. “In these emails, scammers try to create multiple text variations to evade spam filters. For instance, they use various call-to-donate phrases like ‘we call to your compassion and benevolence’ or ‘we call to your empathy and generosity,’ and substitute words like ‘help’ with synonyms such as ‘support,’ ‘aid,’ etc,” Andrey Kovtun, a security expert at Kaspersky, was quoted as saying by news agency IANS. [caption id=“attachment_13293992” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A screenshot of a website that claims to help Gaza victims. Image courtesy: Bleeping Cpmputer[/caption] The links in these emails lead to scam websites that show photographs of the war which are accompanied by emotive text, urging users to make donations. Fraudsters facilitate easy money transfers, even offering options like using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and Litecoin for transactions. Cyberattackers use advanced social engineering techniques to exploit people’s willingness to help those hit by the conflict, luring victims to make fake donations to steal their money. Also read: Are tensions between Netanyahu and military delaying Israel's invasion? Fake fundraising posts on social media Apart from fundraising emails, several posts on X, Telegram and Instagram are also asking for donations to support the victims of the ongoing conflict. But several of these accounts, which list cryptocurrency wallets, are dubious and not endorsed by any official charities. They are likely to be scams, according to a report by the Bleeping Computer. The report points to a “Gaza Relief Aid” account on X and also has a presence on Instagram and Telegram. It claims to be “An Islamic Relief Initiative” but is not linked to any established charity. It uses the domain – aidgaza.xyz – which was registered on 15 October. The text on its website has been copied from the Islamic Relief’s Official website, reports Bleeping Computer. The website appears authentic as it has information about the people behind the organisation, a contact number and a physical address. Those operating the accounts have listed Ethereum, Bitcoin, and USDT addresses on their website and social media accounts where funds should be sent. According to the report, no donations have been sent yet to the addresses though posts on social media show a third party stating that they donated funds and the person seeking donations confirming that they received them. Such tactics are often used by scammers to make their operations appear credible. [caption id=“attachment_13294032” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Protestors carry signs and march during a demonstration in Brussels, in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza, on 22 October. AP[/caption] Similarly, “Donate for Israel” is another suspicious account on X which has cropped up amid the conflict, claiming to support Israeli victims. There was little data associated with the account which is why it is likely to be unauthentic. Fake charities trying to steal money are common during natural disasters or wars. Similar scams were reported after the Turkey earthquakes and the Russia-Ukraine war. Such accounts often use gory pictures of women, children and soldiers to trigger strong emotions. Also read: 'Little light, no anaesthesia': The many nightmares at Gaza hospitals How to avoid getting scammed To ensure you are not cheated by scammers, thoroughly scrutinise a page before making any donations. Check the website of a charitable body and research online how it is using the money. Fake websites do not carry essential information about the organisation and the recipients of the aid. There is also no transparency regarding the usage of funds. Cross-check the name of the charity. There are many organisations and mistaken identity is common. If a donation request is coming via social media be doubly cautious. It is always advisable to donate to a body you are familiar with. [caption id=“attachment_13294052” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Israeli supports show placards with the faces and names of people believed to be taken hostage and held in Gaza, during a protest in Trafalgar Square, London on 22 October. They are demanding the release of all hostages allegedly taken by the militant group Hamas. AP[/caption] The International Revenue Service of the US government has warned against feeling “pressured to immediately give to a charity you’ve never heard of”. It has asked people to use the Tax-Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) tool on IRS.gov to help find or verify qualified, legitimate charities. The UK government has published a guide on how to donate safely along with a list of legitimate charities like the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA), or the British Red Cross. It has urged people to ask the charity or organization for more information in case of doubt. With inputs from agencies