Scammers seek to cash in on massacre

Scammers are trying to cash in on the Christchurch mosque massacres, using phishing e-mails with links to fake bank accounts to ensnare people keen to donate, New Zealand’s cyber security body said on Monday.

The attack on two mosques in which 50 worshippers were killed, allegedly by a white supremacist, has caused an outpouring of grief and prompted a flood of donations – well over NZ$7m (R69m) – to those affected.

But CERT NZ, a government agency that responds to cyber security incidents, said e-mails with links to fake banking logins or fraudulent accounts were being sent out requesting money following the tragedy.

Westpac New Zealand bank warned separately in a statement that scammers were sending e-mails under its brand to swindle money out of people.

The warning was posted on Facebook, where the scam drew a furious reaction from users. “Disgusting these low lives are trying to scam money out of people when they’re most vulnerable,” wrote one.

“What a shameless act,” wrote another.

Some NZ$5.8m (R57m) has been donated via online fundraising platform givealittle, and a second – launchgood – has received more than NZ$2m (R19m).

Forty pages have so far been set up on givealittle to bring in donations to help those affected by the mass shooting, Robyn Lentell of the Spark Foundation that runs the platform was quoted as saying by the New Zealand Herald newspaper.