Today, we bring you something shocking but also incredibly important to discuss.

Our journey today takes us into online scams, where villains lurk behind screens exploiting human empathy for their nefarious purposes.

Their latest low? Using the guise of a seriously sick child to lighten your pockets unjustly.

In a heart-wrenching case that's made headlines recently, Australians are being cautioned about scam ads that have appeared across social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube.

These ads exploit the tragic plight of a supposedly ill eight-year-old Russian boy, Semion, to con generous hearts out of $293,000.

Scammers often employ fabricated narratives to entice compassionate individuals into falling for their deceitful schemes. Source: YouTube

The counterfeit charity plea stars several variants of a poignant video, subtitled in a melting pot of languages from English and French to Spanish and Ukrainian.

In this video, Semion appeals to viewers' heartstrings, asking for donations to fund his urgently required lung cancer treatment.

The scripted narrative is a tragic one, indeed.

Semion, distraught, bares his sorrow, 'I appeal to your hearts. I don't want to lie in bed and choke. Don't ignore me. Don't leave me lying in bed suffering. I am only eight years old. I didn't plan to die at eight years old. Lung cancer can advance and slowly take my lungs completely.'

It's an emotional appeal, a plea that piques the depths of human compassion. But it's not what it seems.

Reputable antivirus firm Avast paints a darker picture behind the tear-laden scenario, attributing the ads to a criminal group.

This cold-hearted enterprise has harvested over $293,000 from unsuspecting donors.

Avast said in a statement, 'The organisers of the fundraising page claim to be from World Champions EU and be linked to an Israeli organisation called World Champions.'

They added, 'When Avast researchers reached out to World Champions for comment, they did not hear back.'

Luis Corrons, a dedicated researcher behind the scenes at Avast, advises due diligence before opening your wallet online: 'When it comes to donating, it's important to verify the authenticity of the organisation before you transfer money to ensure you're helping who you think you are.'

He stressed the value of directly engaging with trusted organisations via their official websites instead of responding to donation requests sent via emails, videos, or social media ads.

Here at the Senior Discount Club, we echo Mr Corrons's sage advice.

With scams leading to an eye-watering societal loss of $3.1 billion in Australia last year, it's crucial to be cautious in these click-happy times.

According to Catriona Lowe, the Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, scammers are continuously advancing in their tactics to deceive and defraud everyday Australians, showing increasing levels of sophistication.

She said, 'Australians lost more money to scams than ever before in 2022, but the true cost of scams is much more than a dollar figure as they also cause emotional distress to victims, their families and businesses.'

Key Takeaways

• Australians have been warned about a series of fraudulent social media ads seeking donations for a sick child, later identified as fake.
  
• The scam features a video of an eight-year-old boy named Semion falsely claiming to need funds for his cancer treatment.
  
• Cybersecurity company Avast identifies the scam, revealing that a criminal group has already stolen over $293,000 from generous donors.
  
• Avast's researcher, Luis Corrons, stresses the importance of verifying the organisation's authenticity before donating, advising individuals to visit trusted organisations' official websites directly.

In conclusion, let's approach our online philanthropy with open hearts but alert minds, verifying before trusting. In today's digital era, ensuring you're channelling your generosity in the right direction is crucial.

What are your thoughts and reactions to the story? Additionally, do you have any personal experiences verifying the authenticity of charitable organisations or donation appeals? We would love to hear your perspective on this matter.

 

[Petra]

WoW grrrrrr

 

[BruceC]

Today, we bring you something shocking but also incredibly important to discuss.

Our journey today takes us into online scams, where villains lurk behind screens exploiting human empathy for their nefarious purposes.

Their latest low? Using the guise of a seriously sick child to lighten your pockets unjustly.

In a heart-wrenching case that's made headlines recently, Australians are being cautioned about scam ads that have appeared across social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube.

These ads exploit the tragic plight of a supposedly ill eight-year-old Russian boy, Semion, to con generous hearts out of $293,000.

View attachment 24286

Scammers often employ fabricated narratives to entice compassionate individuals into falling for their deceitful schemes. Source: YouTube

The counterfeit charity plea stars several variants of a poignant video, subtitled in a melting pot of languages from English and French to Spanish and Ukrainian.

In this video, Semion appeals to viewers' heartstrings, asking for donations to fund his urgently required lung cancer treatment.

The scripted narrative is a tragic one, indeed.

Semion, distraught, bares his sorrow, 'I appeal to your hearts. I don't want to lie in bed and choke. Don't ignore me. Don't leave me lying in bed suffering. I am only eight years old. I didn't plan to die at eight years old. Lung cancer can advance and slowly take my lungs completely.'

It's an emotional appeal, a plea that piques the depths of human compassion. But it's not what it seems.

Reputable antivirus firm Avast paints a darker picture behind the tear-laden scenario, attributing the ads to a criminal group.

This cold-hearted enterprise has harvested over $293,000 from unsuspecting donors.

Avast said in a statement, 'The organisers of the fundraising page claim to be from World Champions EU and be linked to an Israeli organisation called World Champions.'

They added, 'When Avast researchers reached out to World Champions for comment, they did not hear back.'

Luis Corrons, a dedicated researcher behind the scenes at Avast, advises due diligence before opening your wallet online: 'When it comes to donating, it's important to verify the authenticity of the organisation before you transfer money to ensure you're helping who you think you are.'

He stressed the value of directly engaging with trusted organisations via their official websites instead of responding to donation requests sent via emails, videos, or social media ads.

Here at the Senior Discount Club, we echo Mr Corrons's sage advice.

With scams leading to an eye-watering societal loss of $3.1 billion in Australia last year, it's crucial to be cautious in these click-happy times.

According to Catriona Lowe, the Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, scammers are continuously advancing in their tactics to deceive and defraud everyday Australians, showing increasing levels of sophistication.

She said, 'Australians lost more money to scams than ever before in 2022, but the true cost of scams is much more than a dollar figure as they also cause emotional distress to victims, their families and businesses.'

Key Takeaways

• Australians have been warned about a series of fraudulent social media ads seeking donations for a sick child, later identified as fake.
• The scam features a video of an eight-year-old boy named Semion falsely claiming to need funds for his cancer treatment.
• Cybersecurity company Avast identifies the scam, revealing that a criminal group has already stolen over $293,000 from generous donors.
• Avast's researcher, Luis Corrons, stresses the importance of verifying the organisation's authenticity before donating, advising individuals to visit trusted organisations' official websites directly.

In conclusion, let's approach our online philanthropy with open hearts but alert minds, verifying before trusting. In today's digital era, ensuring you're channelling your generosity in the right direction is crucial.

What are your thoughts and reactions to the story? Additionally, do you have any personal experiences verifying the authenticity of charitable organisations or donation appeals? We would love to hear your perspective on this matter.

Once again!
if people fall for these scams then they are the fools and a fool and their money are easily parted!

 

[phartaman]

Once again!
if people fall for these scams then they are the fools and a fool and their money are easily parted!

Tv

Once again!
if people fall for these scams then they are the fools and a fool and their money are easily parted!

Do these dam scammers even have a conscience.if I had my way I'd hang every dam scammer who do they think they are taking peoples hard earned money and nothing is even been done about it. All I want to hear is are the police doing anything to catch these dam scammers.

 

[LynS]

And again, people are just plain stupid if they are falling for these scams!!

 

[Babbie]

This nonsense story had several red flags. Firstly, another overseas sob story and secondly coming from Russia, should be enough to raise alarm bells. Third, advertising on the internet for strangers to donate money for whatever reason is another red flag. There are plenty of charities in Australia who could do with help and it is very easy to check if they are legitimate. Unfortunately, while there continues to be a supply of stupid people, scams will continue.

 

[Loubeauxarts]

The real tragedy here is that innocent people are being duped out of their money by being good, decent human beings. This is the lowest of the low and the pond scum dwellers behind these scams don't deserve to live. There are so many of these despicable outfits around, take the dog food racket to feed abandoned dogs in Ukraine. There are a couple that are legit but God knows how many that aren't. They prey on the compassion of animal lovers and, in most cases, the victims never find out that their donations are funding extravagant lifestyles or, even worse, terrorist cells.
Of course the knee jerk reaction is to say, "No sympathy for people stupid enough to fall for it!" So what's the answer? Do we become even more insular and disengaged from the real world to protect ourselves, stifle any empathy we feel for someone less fortunate, keep our hands in our pockets and look the other way.
If there is an answer please let me, let us all, know.
I honestly feel that I have lived long enough. If it's going to get worse than this I don't really want to see it

 

[Jenelle Maree]

Hello Everyone, Revolting Scams becoming more sophisticated. No one should ask for donations, money, funds, on line,email,social sites, mobile phone. I make it a rule, It is all lies. Igtnore, DELETE.
I had a company that wanted me to do a review of the NDIS. They nagged me. I replied, I don't trust you, you could be a scam. Never heard from them again. Have an understanding with friends & family never dicuss personal money. You can be genaral, cost of living too high, groceries for $50 discusting, increase in pension, all this general I prefer to keep it on the Seniors Discount Club. Yesterday I had 5 strange calls coming through My captel phone. I can see the phone number flashing on my screen. None of them looked familiar, I picked up receiver & hung up on them. I have hearing impairment, I do not have time for games. I feel safe discussing issues on The Seniors Discount Club. Bye Everyone. Be kind to yourself.

 

[gordon1940]

Tv

Do these dam scammers even have a conscience.if I had my way I'd hang every dam scammer who do they think they are taking peoples hard earned money and nothing is even been done about it. All I want to hear is are the police doing anything to catch these dam scammers.

Agreed, but more to the point, what are WE doing to NOT be scammed!

 

[Timoverett2023]

Today, we bring you something shocking but also incredibly important to discuss.

Our journey today takes us into online scams, where villains lurk behind screens exploiting human empathy for their nefarious purposes.

Their latest low? Using the guise of a seriously sick child to lighten your pockets unjustly.

In a heart-wrenching case that's made headlines recently, Australians are being cautioned about scam ads that have appeared across social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube.

These ads exploit the tragic plight of a supposedly ill eight-year-old Russian boy, Semion, to con generous hearts out of $293,000.

View attachment 24286

Scammers often employ fabricated narratives to entice compassionate individuals into falling for their deceitful schemes. Source: YouTube

The counterfeit charity plea stars several variants of a poignant video, subtitled in a melting pot of languages from English and French to Spanish and Ukrainian.

In this video, Semion appeals to viewers' heartstrings, asking for donations to fund his urgently required lung cancer treatment.

The scripted narrative is a tragic one, indeed.

Semion, distraught, bares his sorrow, 'I appeal to your hearts. I don't want to lie in bed and choke. Don't ignore me. Don't leave me lying in bed suffering. I am only eight years old. I didn't plan to die at eight years old. Lung cancer can advance and slowly take my lungs completely.'

It's an emotional appeal, a plea that piques the depths of human compassion. But it's not what it seems.

Reputable antivirus firm Avast paints a darker picture behind the tear-laden scenario, attributing the ads to a criminal group.

This cold-hearted enterprise has harvested over $293,000 from unsuspecting donors.

Avast said in a statement, 'The organisers of the fundraising page claim to be from World Champions EU and be linked to an Israeli organisation called World Champions.'

They added, 'When Avast researchers reached out to World Champions for comment, they did not hear back.'

Luis Corrons, a dedicated researcher behind the scenes at Avast, advises due diligence before opening your wallet online: 'When it comes to donating, it's important to verify the authenticity of the organisation before you transfer money to ensure you're helping who you think you are.'

He stressed the value of directly engaging with trusted organisations via their official websites instead of responding to donation requests sent via emails, videos, or social media ads.

Here at the Senior Discount Club, we echo Mr Corrons's sage advice.

With scams leading to an eye-watering societal loss of $3.1 billion in Australia last year, it's crucial to be cautious in these click-happy times.

According to Catriona Lowe, the Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, scammers are continuously advancing in their tactics to deceive and defraud everyday Australians, showing increasing levels of sophistication.

She said, 'Australians lost more money to scams than ever before in 2022, but the true cost of scams is much more than a dollar figure as they also cause emotional distress to victims, their families and businesses.'

Key Takeaways

• Australians have been warned about a series of fraudulent social media ads seeking donations for a sick child, later identified as fake.
• The scam features a video of an eight-year-old boy named Semion falsely claiming to need funds for his cancer treatment.
• Cybersecurity company Avast identifies the scam, revealing that a criminal group has already stolen over $293,000 from generous donors.
• Avast's researcher, Luis Corrons, stresses the importance of verifying the organisation's authenticity before donating, advising individuals to visit trusted organisations' official websites directly.

In conclusion, let's approach our online philanthropy with open hearts but alert minds, verifying before trusting. In today's digital era, ensuring you're channelling your generosity in the right direction is crucial.

What are your thoughts and reactions to the story? Additionally, do you have any personal experiences verifying the authenticity of charitable organisations or donation appeals? We would love to hear your perspective on this matter.

Sadly, there are even registered charities in Australia that would not typically be accused of scamming, nor any felony, but for example, one of them that I will not name, has a payroll around $m56 a year. Their alleged prizes are also in the millions per year. Yet their call centre has no knowledge about how the funds collected are spent on the target beneficiaries, nor where those are, nor any other information about them. By beneficiaries, I do not mean prize winners, I mean people in need of the services the lottery claims to provide for. Wouldn't you think that with a payroll that large, and prizes that big, they would be disbursing newsworthy amounts of money to beneficiaries, and that their own staff would have some knowledge of how the funds collected are spent on the people you think you are helping by buying tickets?