David Nanz, special agent-in-charge of the Springfield Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, warns the public that criminals are soliciting fake humanitarian donations during the Israel-HAMAS conflict, a news release says.
The FBI has received complaints of legitimate email addresses of Israel-based individuals being hacked or possibly spoofed to solicit donations.
Charity scams are especially prevalent during times of increased conflict such as war, natural disasters, or epidemics. Criminals use these tragedies to exploit members of the public looking to support humanitarian efforts. This fraud, also known as “disaster fraud,” comes in many forms. Perpetrators may claim to be associated with established charities or creators of new charities associated with emergent conflicts.
Some perpetrators may prey on their own local communities by claiming to collect funds for victimized families abroad while actually using collected funds for their own personal expenses or in support of criminal enterprises domestically or …