Hackers force closure of charity
Hackers are appealing for money using a Durban North mom's Gmail and Facebook account.
A DURBAN North mother who runs a non-governmental organisation has told Northglen News about her mental anguish after hackers targeted her in a scam. Bonita Suckling, runs Rainbows and Smiles, an organisation which provides emotional, social and financial support to families for children diagnosed with cancer.
She has now has to temporarily close the charity in order to stop the hackers from extorting money from her contact base. Suckling began the NGO after her child, Jed, died of brain cancer in July 2011.
Hackers not only took over her Gmail account, but also her Facebook account last Friday, sending messages appealing for help. The local resident said she had more 13 000 contacts on her Gmail, of which 3 000 were international contacts.
“The hackers sent out an e-mail from my account saying I was stuck in Greece and had lost my bag, passport, wallet and my phone. Some of my contacts responded to the message offering their help and the hackers used this to ask for money. My reputation has been damaged and my name has been dragged through the mud. I feel violated that they have tarnished the memory of my son,” she said.
“I only became aware something was wrong when people began sending her messages on WhatsApp telling her they had sent the money through MoneyGram, as she had requested. These guys have destroyed my life. The one thing I’m passionate about, which is caring for families and children affected by cancer, has been taken away from me.”
What’s more, when the 42-year-old tried to warn her contacts from her phone, the hackers sent malware to her phone to prevent her from sending out warning messages. The hacker has also changed Suckling’s Facebook settings to prevent people from tagging her on the social media site.
They have also opened a duplicate Facebook account in Suckling’s name.
“I’ve now frozen my bank accounts, both personal and work, so people can no longer donate. I’ve decided to temporarily close the organisation, my life has been an absolute nightmare for the last week. This is now affecting families across Durban who rely on help from the NGO,” she said.
Despite Suckling warning as many people as possible, the hackers have now sent a follow-up continuing to exploit the situation.
“Some of my friends are still getting messages on Facebook saying that I wasn’t hacked and it was all a big misunderstanding. They said that ‘I’ still needed money to help get out of Greece,” she said.
Suckling has opened a case at the Durban North SAPS.
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