{"id":61673,"date":"2026-07-01T12:22:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T16:22:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/?p=61673"},"modified":"2026-07-01T12:22:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T16:22:36","slug":"venezuela-earthquake-charity-domain-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/venezuela-earthquake-charity-domain-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"Scammers race to cash in on Venezuelan earthquake disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"

When a devastating earthquake struck north central Venezuela last week, rescue teams were not the only ones who mobilised fast. Cybercriminals registered more than 200 domains designed to exploit international donors within days of the disaster. Threat intelligence researchers at WhoisXML API<\/a> uncovered 212 newly-registered domains referencing the earthquake, all filed within five days of the event. In the three days before the quake, the firm found zero matching domains. Registrations began on the day of the disaster itself, peaked the following day with 105 domains filed in a single 24-hour period, and then tapered off over the next three days.<\/p>\n

Domain Names Disguised as Relief Resources<\/h2>\n

The naming patterns of these domains are crafted to appear legitimate and helpful. Of the 212 domains identified, 110 reference aid or donations, 52 use “SOS” or rescue-related terms, 56 mention earthquakes or seismic activity, and 12 refer to missing or affected people. Others promise medical assistance, shelter listings, maps, or tracking services. On the surface, the domains look like the digital infrastructure of a genuine humanitarian response.<\/p>\n

However, the reality is far less trustworthy. Researchers found that 93 percent of the domains conceal the registrant’s identity behind privacy services or leave the contact fields entirely blank. That level of anonymity is a strong indicator of malicious intent, especially when combined with the speed of registration and the exploitation of a breaking news event.<\/p>\n

Cryptocurrency Donations Without Accountability<\/h2>\n

Some of the newly-active websites are already soliciting Bitcoin donations, researcher Alexandre Fran\u00e7ois noted. None of these sites provide verifiable proof that contributions will reach earthquake victims. The combination of anonymous domain registration and cryptocurrency-only payment channels makes it nearly impossible for donors to recover funds or trace where their money actually goes after a transaction is completed.<\/p>\n

A Well-Established Pattern of Disaster Exploitation<\/h2>\n

This behaviour is not new. Following Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the US Federal Trade Commission issued a direct warning about phishing campaigns and fraudulent charity operations that emerged in the storm’s aftermath. During the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers impersonated United Nations compensation schemes and recruited unsuspecting remote workers to launder stolen donation money through Bitcoin ATMs. Even years after a disaster, fraudsters exploit human misery, as seen in so-called “Nigerian Prince” style scams that emerged following the 2011 Japanese tsunami, claiming that deceased businessmen had left unclaimed millions.<\/p>\n

The tactic endures because it works. Major news events, especially natural disasters that create an urgent need for response, provide a powerful emotional lure that cybercriminals can weaponise quickly and at low cost.<\/p>\n

How to Spot Fake Charity Websites After a Disaster<\/h2>\n

If you want to donate to a disaster relief effort, type the URL of a charity you already know and trust directly into your browser. Avoid clicking links from social media posts, unsolicited emails, or search ads. Be suspicious of any website registered in the days immediately following a disaster, and steer clear of sites that request cryptocurrency-only donations. Legitimate charities offer traceable, conventional payment methods and are transparent about where funds will be directed. Generosity after a disaster deserves to benefit the people who need it most, not disappear into the cryptocurrency wallet of a fraudster.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When a devastating earthquake struck north central Venezuela last week, rescue teams were not the only ones who mobilised fast. Cybercriminals registered more than 200 domains designed to exploit international donors within days of the disaster. Threat intelligence researchers at WhoisXML API uncovered 212 newly-registered domains referencing the earthquake, all filed within five days of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":84169,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cards.overcentral.com\/cards\/en\/61673.png","fifu_image_alt":"Scammers race to cash in on Venezuelan earthquake disaster","footnotes":""},"categories":[349],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-articles"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cards.overcentral.com\/cards\/en\/61673.png","fifu_image_alt":"Scammers race to cash in on Venezuelan earthquake disaster","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61673\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}