Scam artists targeting Katrina donors

PHISHING OFF THE GULF COAST

Scam artists targeting Katrina donors

The Gulf Coast is known as one of the great fishing areas in the United States. Now, because of some unscrupulous Internet scam artists, it’s becoming one of the great phishing areas of the United States.

Phishing involves thieves hiding behind seemingly legitimate websites or e-mail addresses and trying to obtain your personal information — information they can use to make unauthorized withdrawals from your bank account, pay for online purchases using your credit card or even sell your identity to other thieves.

This latest version of phishing is playing on America’s concern for Hurricane Katrina victims. USPS employees are being sent e-mails from a site claiming to be the American Red Cross. It isn’t. When you click on the included link, you are taken to a site in China where you are urged to make donations in any amount from $25 to $5,000.

Unfortunately, it’s a scam. Instead of the money going to help Katrina victims, it’s going into the pockets of thieves.

Security experts recommend that you don’t respond to online requests for money. Since phishing attacks impact our infrastructure, there are some technical countermeasures that Information Technology is using to mitigate them. All questionable e-mail should be sent to USPSCIRT at abuse@usps.gov and to the OIG’s Financial Fraud Unit at: financialfraud@uspsoig.gov.