The Government of Jamaica is urging citizens and the international community to be on high alert for a surge of fraudulent websites and Hurricane Melissa Relief scams, attempting to exploit public generosity in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.
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Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) with responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, revealed that the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JaCIRT) has uncovered a growing number of fake donation portals designed to divert funds intended for recovery efforts.
“Up to last night, we had identified eight such sites, and just now that number has increased to 28,” Dr. Wheatley disclosed during an October 30 press briefing on Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts held at the OPM. “These sites are attempting to redirect contributions and donations away from legitimate sources.”
According to Dr. Wheatley, the fraudulent websites mimic the look and structure of the Government’s official portal, using similar names and layouts to deceive unsuspecting donors. Some of the domains identified include jamaicahurricanehelp.net, melissareliefjamaica.com, and supportjamaicagovjm.net.
“The key difference is that all official Government of Jamaica websites end with .gov.jm,” he emphasized. “These fake sites are at varying stages of development, and JaCIRT suspects they may become active in the coming days.”
The Minister clarified that the only official website for Hurricane Melissa relief donations is supportjamaica.gov.jm, developed and maintained by the Government of Jamaica.
He cautioned members of the public to verify any donation website before entering personal or financial details and to report suspicious sites immediately to JaCIRT via [email protected].
To stay safe online, donors are advised to:
- Type web addresses directly into their browser instead of clicking links in unsolicited emails or social media posts.
- Confirm that the website begins with https:// and displays a padlock icon, indicating a secure connection.
- Double-check that the domain ends with gov.jm when contributing to official relief programs.
“Hurricane Melissa has caused significant damage across the island, and the need for legitimate assistance is real and urgent,” Dr. Wheatley said. “By remaining vigilant, we can ensure that charitable donations reach the Jamaican people who truly need support.”
He expressed deep gratitude to individuals and organizations worldwide who have already pledged aid, while reiterating the importance of directing that goodwill through proper channels.
“The Government of Jamaica recognises and deeply appreciates the global outpouring of support during this difficult time,” he said. “We urge all international donors to exercise caution and use only the official government portal. Your generosity should reach those who need it most, not criminal enterprises.”
The Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team continues to monitor the digital landscape for additional fraudulent domains. The agency is also collaborating with international cybersecurity partners and domain registrars to identify, block, and shut down these malicious operations before they can defraud unsuspecting donors.
