Ebolaprotest.jpg
Jeff Hulbert, of Annapolis, Md., protests U.S. handling of Ebola cases outside of the White House last week in Washington.
(Associated Press)
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Consumers are being warned not to fall for a growing wave of Ebola scams, from phony fundraisers to bogus Ebola preparedness kits and cures.
"Scammers are shamefully exploiting this moment of heightened concern about public health to defraud good people," New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a consumer alert issued today.
One scam involves bogus e-mail solicitations offering a $29 "surplus protection kit" supposedly designed for emergency response teams and law enforcement agencies, according to a report by Consumer Reports.
"We suspect these e-mails are the handiwork of scammers seeking to take advantage of people's understandable fear and anxiety surrounding this international public health risk," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan told Consumer Reports.
The Federal Trade Commission and Food and Drug Administration have sent a warning letter to New Jersey-based Natural Solutions Foundation in connection with its marketing of products containing nano silver, which the company says in a nine-minute video posted on YouTube can inactivate various viruses, including Ebola.
The FTC says there are no FDA-approved medical treatments for Ebola and that consumers should file complaints with the FTC and the FDA if they encounter a fraud.
Schneiderman's office said some people are receiving phone solicitations to donate to fundraisers to benefit families of Ebola patients.
To find out if a solicitation is legitimate, consumers can get background information about charities on the Better Business Bureau's website. Charity Navigator has a reputable list of charities responding to the Ebola outbreak.
Schneiderman's office offered these consumers tips:
Do not click on unsolicited links in e-mail or online. Scammers sometimes utilize a technique called phishing, in which victims are baited into clicking on harmful links that may be linked to malware or entering personal information under false pretenses. Consumers have reported receiving fraudulent e-mails linking to dubious websites where charitable donations can be made.
Ask tough questions. If you receive a charitable solicitation, ask what percentage of your donation will go to the organization and how much will go to professional fundraisers and overhead costs. Ask the charity to send you written information, such as brochures.
Pay close attention. Some fraudsters will use names similar to those of legitimate charities or mimic the appearance of a legitimate charity's website to deceive potential donors.
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