NEW YORK (VINnews) — Community members are being warned about a fraudulent website that appears designed to impersonate the donation platform of Adirei HaTorah, potentially diverting charitable contributions intended for the organization.

The legitimate organization operates through the website “AdireiHaTorah.com.” However, a nearly identical domain, “AdireiTorah.com,” was recently registered, omitting the word “ha” from the name in what cybersecurity experts commonly refer to as “typosquatting” — the practice of registering deceptively similar web addresses to mislead users.

According to publicly available domain registration records, the authentic Adirei HaTorah website has been active since 2022, while the look-alike domain was created only this week.

The similarity between the two web addresses could easily confuse donors, particularly those accessing links from text messages, emails or social media posts, or individuals with impaired vision.

Further examination shows the two websites are operated through entirely different technical infrastructures and registrars, indicating they are not affiliated.

David Perkowski, owner of Duvys Media, which operates thousands of Jewish websites, told VINnews that his name was improperly placed on the fraudulent site in a manner that appeared intended to suggest he designed or endorsed it.

“It is 100% fraud,” Perkowski said. “I have absolutely nothing to do with this site.”

Perkowski said he is deeply troubled by the apparent website that appears to be targeting members of the Jewish community.

Community members are urged to verify website addresses carefully before making donations, avoid contributing through unsolicited links, and contact organizations directly if there is any uncertainty regarding an official donation page.

The incident serves as a reminder that even a single missing letter in a web address can redirect charitable donations away from their intended destination.