Scam Alert: Australian Fire Fundraising Scam
Hackers have infected legitimate fundraising websites with a malicious card-stealing code, creating a dangerous Australian fire fundraising scam.
Who Is It Targeting: Donors to Australia fires fundraising efforts
What Is It: A malicious code that steals information from genuine websites
What They Are After: When any event garners worldwide attention, there are going to be scammers looking to make a quick buck. Whether it is fake websites that solicit donations, bogus phone calls asking for money or any other ploy, donors must be careful about where they give their money. Unfortunately, hackers have infected at least one authentic fundraising site with a piece of malware known as Magecart as part of the Australian fire fundraising scam. When donors give money to help with the Australia fires, the hackers can steal their payment information.
How Can You Avoid It:
- There is no way to know if the website you are using has been infected
- Instead, activate any security alerts from your financial institution
- Monitor your accounts closely for signs of suspicious activity
If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at 888.400.5530. Find more information about current scams and alerts here. For full details of this scam check out this article from PureVPN.com
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