There are many good causes and organizations taking donations if you want to support people affected by the violence in Ukraine. Experts have warned, though, that there are numerous consumer frauds involving Ukraine, ranging from fundraising to social media, cryptocurrencies, and even dating.
Here are some of the several types of frauds attempting to profit from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Fundraising
Scammers attempting to profit from the Ukraine situation frequently target the fundraising sector. “Scammers can exploit whatever is taking place and turn it into a chance to defraud people,” specialists say, using the coronavirus outbreak as an example.
Experts say genuine charities can still contact you even though you’ve signed up for the national Do Not Call List. “The problem is that you do not have the opportunity to know who is calling you once you get a call; you could be reached by a phony charity or a con artist posing as a representative of a respected group.”
According to an analyst, the most straightforward approach to avoid getting scammed by a bogus charity is to refuse to donate money during a phone solicitation. That doesn’t rule out the possibility of a legal charity succeeding. If the charity’s mission appeals to you, hang up and explore the charity’s website before donating.
If you want to help the people of Ukraine, experts recommend using Charity Navigator to find highly-rated charities. GlobalGiving, Save the Children, and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy is among them.
Of course, fraudulent fundraisers don’t only call, email, or text individuals. They also created fictitious charity websites. According to sources, thousands of Ukrainian-related domains were established quickly after the fighting began. Some of them could be legitimate fundraising efforts. Many are not.
Experts suggest a few charities to which people might want to donate:
- The particular account of the National Bank of Ukraine is used for secure funding for Ukraine’s military forces.
- Come Back Alive is a non-profit group supporting Ukraine’s armed forces since 2014.
- Razom for Ukraine is a non-profit organization that provides Ukraine with crucial medical supplies.
- Ukraine’s most popular publication, the Kyiv Independent, is still going strong.
Dating
According to experts, romantic frauds surged tremendously during the pandemic, which has always been a concern.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t communicate with a Ukrainian on a dating service. It may be an actual individual attempting to connect. However, even if you think you know someone online, don’t give money to a stranger.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency scams have been rising for years, so it’s no surprise that news of crypto frauds in Ukraine is making the rounds. Another expert claims that she and her coworkers have witnessed con artists acting as Ukrainians in need of assistance, seeking cryptocurrency payment, and then pocketing the money.Fraudsters imitating crypto exchanges and purporting to be gathering bitcoin contributions for the citizens of Ukraine are yet another type of fraud she says she’s come across.
Kuna, Ukraine’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and a variety of other cryptocurrencies as donations. According to Weisman, the Ukrainian government has received millions of dollars in cryptocurrency donations.
Scammers, on the other hand, are unmistakably present. Con artists are posing as Ukrainian officials, according to an analyst, set up a fake cryptocurrency called Peaceful World, which they traded on the Uniswap platform in the early days of the war. Before the false coin was exposed as a hoax, it contributed more than $50 million.
“The need to make your donation in cryptocurrencies alone is a significant red signal for consumers as they examine the validity of a Ukrainian rescue effort,” argues another expert. Importantly, after a bitcoin transaction is completed, the sender has no recourse for a refund — these transactions are irreversible.”
Social networking sites
Scammers can locate you on social media using the invasion of Ukraine as a pretense. That comes as no surprise. They can, however, deceive you in unexpected ways. You already know to be suspicious of strange and unfamiliar emails or texts, especially ones that beg you to click a link, but it’s tricky on social media.
“Avert clicking on links from sites you haven’t verified.” “TikTok, especially, was frequently used during the war,” says an analyst. It would be best to not rely on social media, as it may not be dependable and may be simply an attempt to bait you into having to click on infected links,” added the analyst. Another expert advises on being cautious of links and QR codes to private Venmo accounts of Ukrainians in need.
Some genuine Ukrainians may be involved, but “Venmo theft is one of the largest hoaxes arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.” Hence, before sending money via Venmo to someone, positively identify the person, but it’s usually best not to give money.