Life Of Navin

Since the Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Internet has gradually turned into a haven for opportunists waiting to cash in on disasters or natural calamities. With China still recuperating from the devastating earthquake in Sichuan that claimed lives and inflicted untold damage across the country, it's now time for unscrupulous cyber criminals to make their moneys out of someone else's misery.

These fraudsters are siphoning off relief money pouring in from all parts of the world, and how? They've created a phishing Web site posing as a representatives of organisations like the Red Cross -- complete with numerous fake accounts at different banks - for donors to wire-in their donations. International cyber security engine Websense says the phishing Web site was hosted within China itself, and has been down ever since an alert was issued.

Typically, phishing attacks are all about getting personal details such as passwords and credit card accounts of victims. In this case though, it's too premature to determine for how long the scam has been going on, and how much money has been transferred to the fraudulent accounts.

All said, this isn't the only such case of fraud in China in the wake of the earthquake. Just after disaster struck the Chinese, a flurry of SMSes requesting assistance and moneys to be deposited in private accounts hit mobile phones across the country. One such fake SMS that my friend received read: "My family was injured in the earthquake. Dad and mum urgently need money. Send whatever money you can. Deposit it in our friend's account in Bank of China Account number- XXXXXXXXX."

Those wanting to make Donations , please make sure that your moneygoes into the right hands. Our brothers in China need our help.Here are some "real" sites you can visit to donate money for the Quake relief.....

CHINA 512 QUAKE RELIEF FUND (Online Donation)
Contact Details: info@chinaquakerelieffund.org
Phone: 571-239-9958 or 240-432-2912

GLOBALGIVING EMERGENCY FUND (Children's fund)
Contact Details: http://www.globalgiving.com/contactus/index.html
GlobalGiving ,1816 12th Street NW - 3rd Floor,Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 232-5784
Fax: (202) 232-0534