Presidential election scam: Democrats, Republicans spoofed on donation sites
At least two scam websites designed to look as though they were made by the Democratic and Republican parties are soliciting donations. The sites were reported by SiteJabber.com, a community that reviews sites and often flags scams for consumers.
Using the names DemocraticNationalCommittee.org and RepublicNationalCommittee.org, the shady sites appear only aimed at collecting cash.
Both sites are registered, anonymously, in Canada. The faux Democratic site is a bit more elaborate, featuring photos of President Obama, and includes some real information and functioning links. There's not much Mitt Romney imagery on the Republican site, but it does also have a prominent "Donate" button that takes you directly to PayPal.
In case a quick scan doesn't convince you that the sites are fakes, the sites (in very small, faded type) have this sort-of disclaimer:
"republicannationalcommittee.org is not connected with any Federal elections and is not subject to the limits and prohibitions of the Federal Election Campaign Act."
The author is solely responsible for the content.
About the author
Mitch Lipka is one of America's leading consumer journalists and advocates. He is an expert in product safety, recalls, scams, and helping consumers get out of jams. He is a nationally known consumer columnist and runs TheConsumerChronicle.com. He lives in Worcester. You can find him on Facebook or reach him at ConsumerNews@Aol.com
