--- title: "Cybercriminals may try to misuse LA fire! | Phish Protection" description: "Cybercriminals may try to misuse LA fire!: The LA fire has devastated the lives of 92,000 people. Around 12,000 homes, educational institutes , and." image: "https://phishprotection.com/og/blog/cybercriminals-may-try-to-misuse-la-fire.png" canonical: "https://phishprotection.com/blog/cybercriminals-may-try-to-misuse-la-fire/" --- Share [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fcybercriminals-may-try-to-misuse-la-fire%2F "Share on LinkedIn") [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Cybercriminals%20may%20try%20to%20misuse%20LA%20fire!&url=https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fcybercriminals-may-try-to-misuse-la-fire%2F "Share on X/Twitter") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fcybercriminals-may-try-to-misuse-la-fire%2F "Share on Facebook") [ ](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fcybercriminals-may-try-to-misuse-la-fire%2F&title=Cybercriminals%20may%20try%20to%20misuse%20LA%20fire! "Share on Reddit") [ ](mailto:?subject=Cybercriminals%20may%20try%20to%20misuse%20LA%20fire!&body=Check out this article: https%3A%2F%2Fphishprotection.com%2Fblog%2Fcybercriminals-may-try-to-misuse-la-fire%2F "Share via Email") ![Phish Protection blog post image](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2025/01/phishing-protection-2148.jpg) The **LA fire** has devastated the lives of[92,000](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/01/14/los-angeles-fires-california-wildfire-live-updates-tuesday/77680984007/)people. Around 12,000 homes, educational institutes , and businesses have burnt down to ashes. 24 unfortunates have lost their lives. _While the entire world is praying for the Santa Ana winds to slow down, cybercriminals have a completely different agenda at this point_. Those Americans who are trying to lend a helping hand to the LA fire victims may get duped by **threat actors** amidst complete chaos. ### **How do threat actors leverage natural disasters to their benefit?** ![Phishing protection](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2025/01/phishing-protection-2148.jpg) [Threat actors](https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/us-treasury-says-computers-hacked-chinese-threat-actor-rcna185809)and scammers are best at one thing- making the most out of **people’s emotions**. Be it during the holiday season or any kind of n atural or man-made disaster, cybercriminals look forward to feathering their own nests. Cliff Steinhauer, the[information security](/resources/cyber-security-certifications-it-network)and engagement director at the [National Cyber Security Alliance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National%5FCybersecurity%5FAlliance), believes that **cyber scams** spike all of a sudden around natural disasters or major events. People are willing to help the victims with **monetary aid**, and there is a lot of emotional investment involved in such situations. \_That’s what the scammers make come into the scene. You often tend to go out of your way to help people without considering whether or not the particular \_ \_[crowdfunding](https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/access-finance/guide-crowdfunding/what-crowdfunding/crowdfunding-explained%5Fen)link or donation website is actually legitimate. Threat actors pay extra attention to how a particular **disaster unfolds**. They do so to make their[social engineering](https://portswigger.net/daily-swig/uber-hack-linked-to-hardcoded-secrets-spotted-in-powershell-script)tactics more credible and realistic. ### **Types of cybersecurity scams you should be mindful of during the ongoing LA fire disaster!** Social engineering attacks spike up like crazy during natural disasters. This scamming technique involves using deception or manipulation in order to gain illegitimate access to the[sensitive data](https://news.duke.edu/stories/2024/02/28/news-tip-banning-sale-of-sensitive-data-to-countries-of-concern-helpful-expert-says/)of an individual or an organization. The data may include DOBs, passwords, user IDs, **social security numbers**, bank account details, and other personal information . _**Threat actors** wait for the right opportunity and then come up with messages, emails, and even calls to catch you unguarded_. These messages and emails may include fake donation pages and[malicious links](https://www.clearnetwork.com/malicious-urls/). There will always be a sense of urgency so that the receiver gets less time to think and respond rationally. Threat actors not only try to target those who are trying to help but also those victims who are actively seeking help in these dire circumstances.[Cybersecurity](/phishing/cybersecurity-emerging-threats-phishing-email-security-malware)experts have warned LA wildfire victims to be wary of any person or organization who approaches them on the pretext of offering help and relief. Fire victims have been urged not to share personal data like bank account details and other **sensitive information** with random strangers. The threat actors may pose as charitable organizations or government agencies to earn your trust and harvest personal data from you. Before seeking help, one must ensure that they have approached the right organizations and **relevant authorities**. To make things worse, cybercriminals have easy access to[artificial intelligence](https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/artificial-intelligence), which they use to refine their **scam messages** and go scot-free without raising any suspicion. Generative AI enables them to tune their phishing messages . _There are rarely any spelling mistakes or bad grammar in such messages nowadays_. As per[OpenAI](https://www.pymnts.com/artificial-intelligence-2/2025/openai-blueprint-calls-on-us-to-act-big-on-ai/), threat actors use ChatGPT’s[Natural Langauge Processing (NLP)](https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/natural-language-processing-overview/)as well as its code-generating abilities in order to carry out complicated tasks that otherwise would have required a higher degree of **technical expertise**. ![Ransomware and Cybercrime](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2025/01/Ransomware-and-Cybercrime.jpg) _Experts warn that the LA fire presents yet another “opportunity” for threat actors to exploit victims and potential helpers for quick financial gain_. By leveraging AI, scammers can craft highly convincing messages and emails, making it easier to deceive individuals and gain unauthorized access to personal information. Strengthening[Phishing Protection](/)is crucial in such scenarios to safeguard sensitive data and prevent these **malicious activities**. ### **How can you safeguard yourself from threat actors amidst LA fire chaos?** Whether you have been an unfortunate victim of the LA wildfire or a good samaritan who wishes to help people in this **time of distress**, make sure you are cautious of the malicious advances of[cybercriminals](/cybersecurity/beware-rdp-attacks-popular-cybercriminals-spreading-ransomware). Here are some red flags that you must keep an eye on to avoid any kind of **cyber fraud**: - **Security warning**: If you come across a security warning while getting directed to a **particular website**, quit then and there. It can be a fake donation or a charity website trying to harvest your data on the pretext of helping victims. - **Odd domain names**: If the[domain name](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/glossary/what-is-a-domain-name/)sounds phishy, trust your instinct and stop then and there. - **Misspelled URLs**: Misspelled URLs often go ignored. _Pay close attention to URLs before clicking on them, as the misspelled ones can be malicious_. - **Cross-check details**: Visit [give.org](http://give.org) and GoFundMe to check if the fundraisers you’re planning to donate to are even verified or not. Also, USA Today will provide with you detailed lists of **trustworthy organizations**, charities, and services that you can avail of in this difficult time. ## Topics [ Cybersecurity ](/tags/cybersecurity/) ![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/authors/brad-slavin.jpg) [ Brad Slavin ](/authors/brad-slavin/) General Manager Founder and General Manager of DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead across DuoCircle's 2,000+ customer base. [LinkedIn Profile →](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin) ## Protect your inbox from phishing attacks Real-time email security with 60-day free trial. No credit card required. [Start Free Trial](https://portal.duocircle.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=101&brand=phishprotection) [View Pricing](/pricing/) ## Related Articles [ Intermediate 3m 13,000 Singapore-based students affected as a threat actor hacked into their devices! Aug 16, 2024 ](/blog/13000-singapore-based-students-affected-as-a-threat-actor-hacked-into-their-devices/)[ Intermediate 3m The 2024 Multi-Nation Elections Need to Steer Clear of Highly Potent Cyber Menaces May 9, 2024 ](/blog/2024-multi-nation-elections-cyber-threats-stay-vigilant/)[ Intermediate 6m 7 Commonly Overlooked But Crucial Security Threats That You Might be Ignoring Feb 6, 2023 ](/blog/7-commonly-overlooked-but-crucial-security-threats-that-you-might-be-ignoring/)[ Intermediate 17m 9+ Cybersecurity Software Solutions For Businesses To Use May 30, 2022 ](/blog/9-cybersecurity-software-solutions-businesses/) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://phishprotection.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://phishprotection.com/images/phishprotection-logo.png"},"description":"Advanced phishing protection and email security for businesses. 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