If you are reading this, you found your way here, which means you are more computer saavy than you may give yourself credit for.

Hundreds of scams spring up like weeds online whenever there is an event that captures attention.

However this bears repeating.

Phone calls, websites, email…don’t go there. Don’t pick up, don’t open the emails and keep your firewall and virus protection updated.

He advised people to ask the organization for its nonprofit tax ID before making a donation. That ID number can be checked against the database housed by the Internal Revenue Service. Consumers should also review the list of reputable nonprofit agencies posted on the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site, he said.

Scams perpetuated on the Internet following a disaster are nothing new. However, Katrina-related scams seem to be appearing faster than those linked to relief efforts after the Asian tsunami late last year, Ullrich said.

“The (fraudulent) activity level is about the same, but maybe faster,” he said. “It could be because it’s a hurricane and you can plan for it. Some of the domain names with a hurricane suffix are already taken up, because (the United Nations World Meteorological Organization) comes out with a list of names that goes out six years in advance.”

Currently, there are 106 Web sites that are registered with the name Katrina and hurricane, weather, disaster, relief or fund included in the domain, according to security monitoring company Websense. Of those, roughly a third lack original content and have notices indicating they are under construction, coming soon, or the domains are up for sale, Websense said.

CNET

Oddly enough the past few days BDBO has been getting religious spam.
Resources for ministers mostly.