# Let's be careful out there. Don't fall for tsunami scams! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 18, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-be-careful-out-there-dont-fall-for-tsunami-scams/575088 "2011-03-18T00:02:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-be-careful-out-there-dont-fall-for-tsunami-scams/575088/1 "2011-03-18T00:02:03Z")
I’m sure everyone on SDMB would like to help Japan dig out from the latest disaster. But let’s be careful…for every tragedy there is an asshole trying to profit from it using reprehensible tactics, trying to steal your money. For example, I just got this email, addressed to Realtors. The formatting and grammar are reproduced exactly as I received it. > [@](#): > > Estator® Fund for Victims of Earthquakes > > An 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck Japan > We are a Real Estate Association working everyday with families dealing with their homes and we know the importance of a family to have a home. > > An 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck Japan triggering massive Tsunami. You can help rebuild the lives of people affected by this natural disaster. > > Many families lost their life and their relatives. It is in your hands to give them some relief > We work with all the people that wants to help others that are affected by natural disasters, specially with people on the Real Estate industry, people that know how important is to have a home for their families. > > Our mission and our work are to build links between Estators® around the world and their equivalent organizations in the developed world. > > You will receive only one time this email > > Support others and one day other will support you > Donate now Note that it had official-looking buttons at the bottom with paypal and credit card logos. Mousing over them, the URLs looked legitimate, but I suspect any money you donate thru them will end up in Nigeria, where it will support more emails like this, not Japan earthquake relief. If anyone has a link to a legitimate disaster relief fund, please post it here. Of course, the [American Red Cross](http://www.redcross.org) is always available. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-be-careful-out-there-dont-fall-for-tsunami-scams/575088/2 "2011-03-18T02:01:12Z")
Estator? Is that anything like the Supremor? I can see the scams now. “Nice town you got here, Mayor. Shame if it got… dampened.” ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-be-careful-out-there-dont-fall-for-tsunami-scams/575088/3 "2011-03-18T07:36:20Z")
My disaster preparedness group decided to use [Direct Relief International](http://www.directrelief.org/EmergencyResponse/2011/JapanEarthquakeTsunami.aspx) as a way to get donations to where they need to go. So far we’ve raised $8,806.27 amongst our group members. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-be-careful-out-there-dont-fall-for-tsunami-scams/575088/4 "2011-03-18T13:55:56Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > So far we’ve raised $8,806.27 amongst our group members. Who the hell donated $6.27? ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-be-careful-out-there-dont-fall-for-tsunami-scams/575088/5 "2011-03-18T15:28:18Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Who the hell donated $6.27? Maybe someone has a change collection jar set up where they work. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-be-careful-out-there-dont-fall-for-tsunami-scams/575088/6 "2011-03-18T15:39:18Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Who the hell donated $6.27? Maybe there was a donation of 3.25 and another of 3.02. Maybe it was 2.20 and 4.07. Maybe…the possibilities are boggling.