Dubious Katrina Websites increasing.
September 13, CNN —

Many of the 4,000 Websites claiming to offer help to victims of Hurricane Katrina are suspicious, the Department of Justice said Tuesday, September 13. FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker said investigators have reviewed 2,100 sites and about 60 percent of them originate outside the United States. "That's not a reason unto itself to conclude that that's a scam Website, but it is a reason to be cautious," Swecker said. Swecker said no arrests have been made, however, the number of criminal cyber probes has increased substantially since Thursday, September 8, when the FBI acknowledged it was investigating eight instances of potential Website fraud. Some of the suspect activities are sophisticated endeavors that are created to look like authentic Red Cross sites. Many of the apparently fraudulent Websites trying to tap into Katrina relief donations feature pop−ups, spam through provided links and other unsolicited e−mails. Others traps are variations of the
"Nigerian scam letter." The scammer will appear to offer money or relief help but will ask for money first from the e−mail recipient. Still other e−mails misdirect the user to bogus sites intended to lure people into divulging personal financial information.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/13/kat...aud/index.html