Fake email and social media accounts target Rotary members in new scam

Rotary recently learned that scammers have created multiple email and social media accounts that impersonate RI President Barry Rassin, RI President-elect Mark Maloney, and General Secretary John Hewko. The social media accounts have been on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Some of these messages also reference Viber, another messaging platform.

These are not authentic Rotary communications. They are phishing and spoofing attempts to obtain money and personal information.

Rotary monitors for and responds to these attempts as part of an ongoing effort to keep member, program participant, and staff data safe. We also work with LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp to remove imposter accounts.

Neither President Rassin’s, President-elect Maloney's, nor General Secretary Hewko’s authentic accounts have been compromised.

Rotary members should continue to exercise caution:

• Disregard any suspicious message that offers money, requests money, or asks for your personal information.
• Avoid opening attachments or following links in suspicious messages.
• Pay close attention to the details of the email address and signature block to verify the sender.

If you receive what you believe to be a suspicious message from the president, general secretary, or another Rotary leader, please forward it to Rotary’s chief information officer at fraudreport@rotary.organd then delete it immediately. Please also report any suspicious social media accounts to fraudreport@rotary.org.