I strongly suspect this email I got is a fraudulent attempt to collect money
from idiots:
"Dear Friends,
It is with profound sadness that we are continuing to learn of the damage
caused by the tsunami in terms of human losses and damage to property. One
of the hardest hit places is the island nation of Sri Lanka. According to
the latest Reuter's report, more than 27000 alone died in Sri Lanka, and
more than 1 million displaced. In one instance alone, an orphanage in
northeastern part of the island got wiped out 170 children along with its
guardian priest.
There is no clean water; all dwellings swept away, no food, dead bodies to
be buried, and all the conditions compounds to create an environment for
severe disease epidemic and malnutrition.
At this juncture, we appeal to you to help generously by contributing money
and medicines. All your contributions will go directly towards the disaster
relief and rehabilitation efforts.
You tax deductible contributions can be made through TRO using following web
site or mail check/money order directly to the address provided below,
payable to TRO . Website : http://www.trousa.org
Postal address:
Tamils Rehabilitation Organization
517 Old Town Road, Cumberland, Maryland 21502
Tax ID: 52-19-43868
###
About TRO
Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) is a non-profit organizations
registered in the USA and approved as charity by the IRS under 501c (3)
code. TRO have been helping in the North-Eastern parts of Sri Lanka, which
have been ravaged by civil war as well. On their behalf we appeal to the
benevolent nature of the people of the USA to come forward and lend them a
helping hand, however small it may be.
HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED. PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO HELP."
I doubt any legitimate organization would spam people like this.
This group seems to have been around for awhile (yahoo group created c. 5/03, various other google mentions) but that doesn't necessarily make it a legitemate aid organization.
What I have been able to find so far is this is a real organization. According to my Spoof-Stick the link in the e-mail is not a spoofed. It appears this Tamil Rehabilitation Organization is somehow linked to the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam).
I'm currently waiting on more information from the Better Business Bureau.
It will be interesting to see what they say next. One would think they would check out the name you gave them, especially with such a large amount of money being offered.
I agree Paul. There are so many jerks out there just looking to take advantage of people. Unfortunately not everyone is skeptical about the things they recieve in their e-mail.
I have to remind myself that not everyone in the world grew up a question box! I drove everyone crazy growing up, never taking anyone's word on stuff. I always had to know the why, where, when, how and who of everything.
I once knew a millionaire...he was a millionaire at 27. I asked him if he could go back & do anything differently, would he? He said he would not have gone to college, because he'd have been a millionaire 4 years earlier. I can't remember now why he is a millionaire. It was my piano teacher's brother-in-law.
Well Paul, I heard back from the BBB. I got the response I figured I would get, an auto-reply message. I won't post it here since it was very long winded and basically said to check their site for a list of reputable charities, of course they were quick to point out that the list there is not completely inclusive. Yeah I figured that out which was why I wrote them in the first place! LOL what a waste of time.
...I was 15 when I met him. He was involved. Besides, if I had married him instead of my (actual) husband, whose genes are apparently weak & useless...my baby wouldn't have been so damn cute.
happened to come across while looking for something else - i just wanted to let you know that not only is TRO a genuine org, it's an international NGO and a registered charity in a number of countries including Aus and the USA.
i was part of a group of volunteers who've just come back from helping out in Sri Lanka - TRO is really active there, it plays a really big part in getting aid and development to NorthEast Sri Lanka.
i'm not sure how much they've been doing in the US, but the australian branch has taken on a really big role in helping tsunami victims - they're being listed by all the major newspapers here and have been given exclusive collection rights to quite a few events. so if you're worried about their authenticity, don't be - from what i've seen, they're one of the few NGOs that has been able to gain access to the rebel-controlled parts of Sri Lanka, and i think they're doing a great job!:)
Dr Anita L
in UK
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 | 06:10 PM
Hi
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation is a genuine organisation in Sri Lanka (that has subgroups eg in America). They are responsible for coordinating relief work in North East Sri Lanka - where the minority Tamils live (and have been doing this for a long time due to the civil war). Their work is essential to people on North East coast at present because the Sri Lankan government (majority Singalese) is not allowing equal distribution of foreign aid nor being particularly generous themselves. I am doctor in London and am going to volunteer for 2 weeks with 4 doctor friends and the TRO are coordinating it all. The collection will be genuine but it is a shame that the American lot sent an email that could be quite rightly interepreted as being spam. In the end the only people that suffer are those in Sri Lanka. I have personally collected over å£3000 since sending an email but then I only sent it to people I know. I hope you reconsider your donation. I am sure a MUCH higher percentage of money given to the TRO will actually reach the people!
I wish the person who posted this e-mail had posted some of the headers. It is possible that someone received this information from TRO because they are involved with it, or requested the information. This person then sent this e-mail to a friend and that friend forwarded it on to a few more friends and so on. Without the headers we can't really say for sure whether the e-mail came from the TRO itself or if it was just something that was forwarded around. Even full headers may not help either, if it was a text e-mail than the original sender could have been removed.
Playing devil's advocate again!
Mark-n-Jen
in Midwest USA
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 | 05:06 PM
We just LOVE this site and these forums... and it's all thanks to people like Paul and Myst. Thanks for the laughs... it's good to know we're not the only suspicious ones out here...
I agree Paul, and until someone does come forward with information that can be verified I am suspicious.
On another note, if, let's say, the organization is a real charity I have to wonder how much of the money donated actually makes it to the people. As I said in an earlier post there is a connection between this "charity" and the LTTE. So I wonder how much of the money gets funneled in to buying guns, etc. for the LTTE. Just a thought.
He tells me to shut up:exclaim: Meanie 
