Some People

[Julie]

I received the following message from work- I apologize for the cross 
posts but wanted to get the information to as many people as possible.
Please pass this along to others- this is horrible that people would 
do this at this time.
Julie

"This is a warning regarding online attempts to fraudulently profit 
from Tuesday's attacks on the USA. These attempts are taking the form 
of unsolicited e-mail ("spam") and postings in community forums, 
soliciting "donations" in the name of victims of the attacks.
A typical message claims to be part of an "Express Relief Fund" or 
"Victims Survivor Fund". One message claims that donations will go to 
the Red Cross, but the donation link leads to a Web site unconnected 
with that organization.

Following are tips to help determine whether a request is valid:
* If you don't know the organization or person who sent the request,
it's probably fraudulent.  

* Virtually no bona-fide relief agencies request funds by sending 
email to people who are not already involved in that agency.  
Solicitations made in this way may also violate laws in the United
States and Europe.(See http://law.spamcon.org http://law.spamcon.org> 
.)

* If you click on a link to donate, examine the URL shown in your
browser. If the domain name of the URL is hidden, unfamiliar, or 
doesn't match the link's text, the request is probably fraudulent.

* Verify the solicitor's identity through another medium (such as
phone) before giving money. Spammers frequently forge the identity and 
style of well-known entities to gain credibility.

The Red Cross is a legitimate organization active in supporting 
victims of the tragedy and their families. To donate, visit their 
official Web site (http://www.redcross.org <http://www.redcross.org> ) 
or call 1-800-HELP-NOW.

Thanks for the time.
David Robertson
President, STIC.NET, Inc.
Vice President, Texas Internet Service Provider's Assn.
President, ISP Trade Alliance
Chairman, US ISP Alliance, Washington, DC "