Internet Scam: Fake Charity Scam

Another variation of the Citadel malware scam (which pops up threatening messages on your computer in order to extort money to "fix" problems that don't exist or to pay a "fine" for copyright or pornography violations that no police or FBI authorities are really pursuing) has appeared and this time it seems to be customized into several different languages and will present the language it recognizes on the computer and deliver a unique message claiming to be a charity and asking for money. The scam works because it preys on the sympathies of people, telling them of children who "desperately" need their help. It also tries to trick victims by using the names of real, credible charities. But the grammar is horrible and that is a good top-off.

One sentence says the money will go to programs that "serve the poorest child in Haiti." Another says, "We work currently with two orphanages and elementary school, we are seeking donations." And: "All you give, they'll be much appreciated." Not exactly great sentence structure.

The English version of this scam claims that the money will go to impoverished Haitian children. The Italian-language version claims it is for the "Red Balloon" campaign, created to fight child mortality in Italy. The Spanish version is for a well-known Spanish nutrition program for infants and children. The German version says donations will be going to ChildFund, and the Dutch version claims the donations will benefit Save the Children.

The tricky part is the scammer only asks for $1, hoping the victim will feel how hard can it be to donate $1 to a worthy cause? But the goal of the scam is not the $1, it's to get the credit card number so they can use it for higher dollar amounts and sell the number to other scammers. Victims who click on the pop up are asked to fill out a form that asks for their name, card number, expiration date, CVV code, and security password. And the scammers promise their victims, "We treat personal information with the utmost respect for your privacy." Scammers lie about everything.

Even if you don't click on this pop-up screen, your computer is still infected with the Citadel malware virus and you'll need clean your computer with anti-malware software.