Beware of Hurricane Harvey Phishing Scams

It is a shame that in the wake of a significant disaster we need to discuss the need for people to be alert of scammers and cyber criminals who are trying to use a tragedy to make money. But here we are and while the people of the great state of Texas deal with a tragedy, the good people of this world who want to donate money and resources need to be on alert! Reports indicate that numerous phishing scams are popping up and targeting people across the country.

Multiple government agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the United States Computer Emergency Response Team (US-CERT) have issued warnings around the rise of fake charities looking for donations to help with relief efforts. According to both the FTC and US-CERT, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself from falling victim to these scams:

• Do not click on links in unsolicited emails or text messages asking for donations
• Do not open email attachments regarding Hurricane Harvey that come from unknown senders
• If you get an email looking for a donation, contact that charity directly through their website or phone number
• If it looks suspicious, it probably is and you should be weary

At Compass, when we do work with our clients we talk about the 3 pillars of risk: People, Process, and Technology. This blog post is about people. Specifically, people who are facing some of the most difficult circumstances they will ever face in their lives. Yet, people in Texas are being indirectly victimized by criminals looking to make a quick buck. The people who are in the disaster areas of Texas need help from a variety of different resources. This is why we want to give you a way, should you feel inclined, to help the people in Texas through the American Red Cross. I know I just told you to not click on images or links asking for donations but the difference is that I am giving you a link to the American Red Cross. Compass will not see any of this money and in complete transparency, we will have no idea if you donated or not. Donating is 100% up to you, we just want to use our resources to appeal to the good nature of everyone we encounter. If you don’t feel comfortable clicking on the image or link below but still want to donate, Google “American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey” and the first result that comes up is the same link I am giving you below. Feel free to use whichever method you are most comfortable with if you feel inclined to donate:

https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-harvey

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.