It’s a sad fact that many people exploit human nature for their own ends. The BBC reports that there is a text message circulating in Asia suggesting that radiation has “leaked” [sic] across Asia from the Fukushima power plant in Japan. Sophos’ Graham Cluley has blogged about malware spreading across the globe in the guise of videos supposedly coming from Japan with subject lines like: “VIDEO: The village that escaped the tsunami”, “VIDEO: Struggle for normal life in Japan”, “VIDEO: Woman talks about tsunami escape”, and “Japan tsunami touches New Zealand”.
Other examples include the fake Japanese Tsunami charity appeals, fakes CNN footage of the tidal wave, and a Facebook “clickjacking” scam that entices people with the bizarre claim of showing viewers a whale stuck in a building after the Tsunami.
This goes to show that everyone needs to be extra careful when tragedies such as the one in Japan happen, as people will try to hijack the event, appealing to people’s curiosity or good nature for their own purposes. Even viewing a video or clicking on a site may reveal more than you want.
If you want to donate to the relief effort, go directly to a reputable charity.
Stephan's Ramblings 