How to donate safely and avoid scams exploiting the massive earthquake in Japan

Scammers are all about the money, even after tragic events like the deadly earthquake that hit Japan on New Year’s Day 2024. They thrive on taking advantage of kindhearted individuals who desire to help others.

In this sense, we would like to urge all you generous internet users to watch out for charity scams exploiting the widespread destruction following the 7.6 magnitude earthquake.

From fake charity platforms to social media posts, natural disaster scams do more harm than just defrauding charitable individuals, diverting much-needed help from the victims and their families.

Since the disaster struck, authorities noted fraudulent videos and messages posted on social media by individuals who claimed to have lost their homes and were in real need of money that could be sent via a “link”.

Some of the videos were, in fact, footage from another destructive earthquake that struck the island country in 2011.

The BBB and FTC have also issued consumer alerts advising caution to ensure that donations don’t end up in the wrong hands.

Here’s what you can do to safely donate and help people affected by the natural disaster in Japan:

1.    Research. Donate wisely by checking reviews or looking up any scams or complaints related to a charity organization you never heard about.

2.    Be skeptical of any unsolicited emails, texts or phone calls that use high-pressure tactics to persuade you to donate immediately. Requests for cryptocurrency and gift card donations are huge red flags and should be avoided.

3.    Take your time and make inquiries about how your donation is used

4.    Don’t click on links in unsolicited correspondence claiming to crome from a disaster relief organization. Check the name, address and contact information online

5.    Be wary of social media videos, pictures and crowdfunding website posts that may try to scam you

6.    Use Bitdefender Scamio, our dedicated scam detector chatbot via web browser or Facebook Messenger to spot online scams before they can harm you financially

Stay safe!