Disaster and Charity Donation QR Scam by SMS

How it looks by SMS, the red flags and what to do.

A text message is the cheapest way for a scammer to reach thousands of phones at once, and the sender name can look like a bank, a courier or a government office. Disaster and Charity Donation QR Scam is one of the ways this shows up: After a flood, accident or illness story goes viral, fake appeals share a personal QR. Learn how to give safely and how to spot a fake relief fund.

What disaster and charity donation qr scam looks like by SMS

• A very short message with a deadline such as "today" or "within 24 hours".
• A shortened or oddly spelled link that does not match the real website.
• A request to call a number, install an app or share an OTP.

Scammers watch the news and prepare a post with a moving photo, usually taken from another event, and a short caption with a QR code. They set up accounts that look like charities, with a logo copied from a real group. The caption says that funds are needed today for food, treatment or rescue, and shows a number of donors already helped.

Red flags to check on the text message

• A QR that leads to a personal name, not a registered organisation.
• A photo with no place, date or named organiser.
• Pressure to forward the post to many groups.
• A promise of a tax receipt from an unknown volunteer.
• The message asks for an OTP, PIN, card number or password.
• It threatens blocking, arrest, disconnection or a fine unless you act at once.

What to do

1. Give through a registered organisation or the official government relief fund, typed by hand.
2. Check the receiver's name shown in the UPI app before paying.
3. Search for the organiser's own website and compare the payment details.
4. Do not reply, do not tap the link and do not call the number in the message.
5. Open the official app or type the official website yourself to see if there is any real notice.
6. Paste the text into a scam checker (Safeavio Sentinel can check it) before you do anything else.

You can report suspicious SMS and calls on the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility) of the Department of Telecommunications.

If money or a code is already gone

1. If you were tricked into paying, call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in.
2. Tell your bank on the number on your card and ask about the transfer.
3. Share the fake post's link with the platform so it can be removed.
4. Keep screenshots of the post, QR and the payment record.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio's QR check shows where a QR code goes before you pay and warns about odd destinations, and the scam check on a pasted appeal can point out the pressure to forward and the vague details. Money Shield's checklist reminds you to confirm the receiver's name. It cannot judge whether a cause is deserving, so give only to organisations you can verify.

Full guide: Disaster and Charity Donation QR Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: social media, WhatsApp, QR code.

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