Fraud Alert
Beware of scams implying association with the NGO Committee for Social Development.
The NGO Committee for Social Development has been made aware of various correspondences, being circulated via email, from Internet websites, text messages, and via regular mail, falsely stating that they are issued by, or in association with, the NGO Committee for Social Development and/or its officials. These scams may seek to obtain money and/or incorrectly state they are the official civil society group engaging with the United Nations on matters of Social Development. The NGO Committee for Social Development wishes to warn the public at large about these fraudulent activities being perpetrated purportedly in the name of the Organisation and/or its officials, through different fraud schemes. The NGO Committee for Social Development does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training) or other fee or request information on applicants’ bank accounts. The NGO Committee for Social Development does not charge a fee at any stage of its procurement process (supplier registration, bid submission) or other fee. The NGO Committee for Social Development does not request any information related to bank accounts or other private information. The NGO Committee for Social Development does not offer prizes, awards, funds, certificates, automated teller machine (ATM) cards, compensation for Internet fraud, or scholarships or conduct lotteries. The NGO Committee for Social Development strongly recommends that the recipients of solicitations, such as those described above, exercise extreme caution with respect to such solicitations.
How do I identify a scam?
Scammers often attempt to spoof an NGO Committee for Social Development staff member, purporting to represent the NGO Committee for Social Development in some capacity. Common techniques used by scammers include:
- Spoofing an NGO Committee for Social Development address by creating an email address that looks very similar to a legitimate email. Examples include:
- masking a fraudulent address with a legitimate one,
- adding a letter, removing or replacing one letter with another, and
- modifying the domain (e.g. @executive-NGO Committee for Social Development [.]org).
- Using NGO Committee for Social Development logos, or including attachments of [forged] official-looking documents (e.g., tenders, invoices, and conference agendas).
- Attempting to create a sense of urgency and/or secrecy with the request.
- The following indicators can help detect a fraudulent email/message / call:
- All official NGO Committee for Social Development correspondence should originate from a @NGO Committee for Social Development .org address.
- NGO Committee for Social Development does not send formal communication via WhatsApp or SMS.
Not an official document. For information only.
