Whether or not these domain names will be used for fraud is purely speculative at this point. However with the Louisiana Attorney General reporting that phishing attacks using Gustav as a lure have already started, it's probably only a matter of time before some of these sites are used in an attempt to dupe the general public. It should be noted that phishing is a time-tested method used to direct unsuspecting users to fraud websites, where they are tricked out of money via social engineering schemes or can even have malicious software dropped on their operating system. Becoming a Phish normally carries the risk of identity or information theft, also.
Identity theft isn't the only reason malware is dropped on a system. Often the intent is to take over a system and turn it into a member of a botnet so it can be used as a spam spewing zombie. It's always considered wise not to click on links received in e-mails from unknown sources.
The average person can check out if a charity is legitimate by visiting the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator or the American Institute for Philanthropy.
If you happen to detect a site that appears to be fraudulent, the socially responsible thing to do is to report it to Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Article comments
1 - Joanne Huspek
Thanks for the tips. It's terrible that anyone would take advantage of a crisis in this way. I find it's best to investigate the charity thoroughly before making a donation.