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BEIJING - CHINA has alerted donors to be on guard against high-tech scams.
'My family was in the earthquake. Dad and mum urgently need money. Send whatever money you can. Deposit it in our friend's account,' read one SMS in the southern province of Guangdong which local reporters exposed as fake.
The Chinese authorities last week issued a warning after a flurry of text messages hit mobile phones, seeking assistance in emotional appeals and asking that funds be deposited in private accounts.
Two people in Guangdong have been arrested for setting up a fake donation website. Similar donation scams have also emerged in Hong Kong.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested for posting a message on an Internet forum with the intention of luring people to donate to the earthquake emergency relief, reports said.
A 32-year-old man has also been arrested for posting notices at ATMs asking that donations be transferred to his personal bank account.
Investigations showed that about HK$8,000 (S$1,400) had been deposited into the account, police said.
In Chinese chatrooms on the Internet, the scams provoked much outrage.
'Anyone who steals this kind of money will be cursed,' said one Web user on sohu.com, a popular portal.
REUTERS
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