Here are a few examples of social engineering frauds targeting NGOs:

Phishing for Donor Information: Scammers send emails or messages impersonating donors or funding agencies, asking the NGO to confirm or update their banking or donation processing details.

Tactics: NGO staff are tricked into clicking on malicious links and providing sensitive information, such as login credentials or bank account numbers, which are then used to steal funds or compromise donor data.

Fake Grant Offers: Scammers contact NGOs offering fake grants or funding opportunities, especially during times of crisis or economic downturns, promising large sums of money in exchange for minimal application requirements.

Tactics: NGOs are asked to pay an "application fee" or provide sensitive information such as financial details, personal IDs, and tax numbers. Once the fee is paid or the data is shared, the scammers disappear, leaving the NGO vulnerable to identity theft or financial loss.

Impersonation of Partners or Beneficiaries: Scammers impersonate partner organizations, volunteers, or beneficiaries, requesting urgent financial assistance or updates to previously agreed transactions.

Tactics: NGO staff, believing the request is genuine, transfer funds or share confidential information, only to realize later that the communication was fraudulent.

Business Email Compromise (BEC): Scammers hack into an NGO's email system or impersonate high-level staff, sending messages that instruct other employees to make urgent payments or update banking details for vendors or partners.

Tactics: Employees, trusting the legitimacy of the emails, comply with the fraudulent instructions, leading to significant financial losses or exposure of sensitive internal information.

Fake Donations or Fundraising Campaigns: Scammers create fraudulent online fundraising campaigns in the name of the NGO, using the NGO's branding and mission to collect donations from the public.

Tactics: The scammers collect funds from unsuspecting donors, but the NGO never receives the donations, damaging both the NGO’s finances and reputation.

These frauds exploit the NGO's trust in donors, partners, and their mission, making them particularly vulnerable to social engineering attacks that can compromise their operations and impact their cause.