The Chambersburg Police Department was made aware of another scam circulating across the country. There has been a recent surge in malicious social-engineering emails and scam attempts tied to the severe flooding in Texas.
Cybercriminals are exploiting this tragedy by sending fake donation appeals, requests for personal data, contractor offers, and even ransom or missing-person schemes. Their tactics may include:
- Urgent donation requests—via email, text, or phone—claiming to support flood victims
- Bogus contractor offers for clean-up, rebuilding, or roof repairs
- Ransom or missing-children scams targeting families affected by the floods
What you should do:
- Be highly skeptical of unsolicited outreach related to the floods.
- Never click links or open attachments from unknown or unexpected senders.
- Do not provide personal or financial information, including bank account or Social Security numbers.
- Verify charity or contractor legitimacy:
- Make donations only through recognized organizations
- Confirm contractor credentials via trusted sources like the Better Business Bureau