Recreational Whinge:  The poor island nation of Haiti has experienced one of the worst natural disasters imaginable and their people are suffering again.  It just doesn’t seem to stop for them.  What really saddens and angers me at the same time are those who have immediately jumped upon this crisis to take advantage of big-hearted people by running “charity scams”, trying to collect money for the relief efforts when the only people gaining from this is the fraudsters.

I get how desperate people can be…and how that can lead to very desperate actions.  But there’s no damn excuse for this.  This is pre-meditated.  The fraudsters are just waiting for the next natural disaster to hit and then they pounce on people to rip them off.

I feel this falls very much into that same category of people who look for ways of spamming people, such as through this blog site.  Everyday I receive advisements through the system of spammers trying to post commercial stuff on the site, and of course I report all of them as spam.  It’s annoying and time consuming.

Some technology experts are utilising their incredible minds and talents to create spam.  Take it a step further and their abusing their gifts to abuse others through fraud.

It makes me sick.  I simply can’t imagine how they can live with themselves, although I fully recognise that for many of them, they just don’t see what they’re doing as wrong.  I’d like to say to them, “What would your parents think of what you’re doing?”  “How would you justify what you’re doing to the courts?”  “If the person in the world you admired most found out about what you’re doing, what would their reaction be?”

I suspect many of the spammers and fraudsters would find those questions really difficult if they bothered to entertain them at all.

The Positive Spin:  Fortunately there is enough news coverage about this fraud to hopefully protect a number of people.  The valid charitable websites also have taken to posting warnings on their websites about unsolicited and fraud emails.

It’s a shame they have to go to these steps, but it’s good to know that there are safe ways of contributing to the wellbeing and support of others in need. 

For all those who are doing the right thing, for making it easier for us to do the right thing, I thank you.