Scam Alert: Turkey-Syria earthquake profusely exploited online

 Scores of scammers are using the repercussions of devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria to try to trick people into donating to fake causes, security experts have raised warnings.

These scammers, instead of raising money for survivors, are channeling donations away from real charities and into their cryptocurrency wallets and PayPal accounts.

Some of the prominent instances include,

• Content creators can make money on TikTok Live by receiving digital gifts. Following the quakes, numerous TikTok accounts are posting photos and videos of devastation and rescue efforts, while seeking donations.

One account featured a pixelated aerial image of collapsed buildings and sound effects of explosions. However, off-camera, a man could be heard laughing and speaking in Chinese.

• In another example, a video shows a kid running from an explosion. But a reverse image search found the photo of the distressed child holds no connection which last week's earthquakes. It had been posted on Twitter in 2018 with the caption "Stop Afrin Genocide".

• A number of people are posting emotion-inducing images on Twitter alongside links to crypto wallets asking for donations. One account shared an image of a firefighter holding a kid amid destroyed buildings. The picture, however, holds no resemblance to real circumstances. OEMA reports that it was created using the Artificial Intelligence software Midjourney.

Moreover, AI image generators often don't produce flawless pictures, and netizens were quick enough to identify that the firefighter had six digits on his right hand.

• Several scammers are also creating fake disaster relief accounts on Twitter and posting links to PayPal. Donors need to be particularly cautious of accounts that say they are in Turkey because PayPal has not been in operation in Turkey since 2016.

Four ways to avoid scams and donate safely

• Search for charities on your national charity register

• If you suspect a scam, report it to the national reporting center for fraud and cybercrime or the social media platform

• Emotional language, photos, and videos are often used to trigger strong feelings of love, sympathy, or compassion

• Some scams even claim they are affiliated with real charities or governments. If you believe in that charity or government organization, search for their website and donate directly to them