Tunbridge Wells residents targeted by scammers after tragedy in Japan

Be extra vigilant - as several people in Tunbridge Wells have already received scam emails in the wake of the awful tragedies of the Japan earthquake and tsunami which claimed thousands of lives. Sadly it appears that unscrupulous cyber-criminals are now seizing the opportunity to launch email scams collecting donations that will never reach the intended recipients.

As we all know, whenever there is a natural disaster with global attention, these fake emails claiming to be from charitable sources soon follow. Thieves know that when we are asked to help those who are suffering badly, we are quicker to hand over our cash, and less likely to expect the request to be fraudulent.

That’s why it is so important to be very wary of emails and websites attempting to solicit money, even if they are for a worthy cause. Many will be legitimate, but there’s always the risk that your money will end up in a fraudster’s pocket, instead of helping those that need it most.

In some cases, you may even find that your credit or debit card is charged for a much larger amount than you agreed, or a virus is dropped on your computer, leading to more harm in the future.

If you want to donate to help the victims of the disaster in Japan, it’s always best to avoid clicking any links in emails, and instead visit the official website of a well known charity such as the Red Cross or the Charity Commission website and choose a charity listed there.