Fundraising Scams Use Ukraine Invasion For Financial Gain, Here's How To Spot Them

As people attempt to donate and support individuals and grassroots organizations in Ukraine helping those who are fleeing and facing violence at the hands of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, scammers have taken advantage of the situation for financial gain.

Scams can range from emails, phone calls, banner ads, and text messages that seem entirely legitimate requests for help but are not. Both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have the advice to help spot these scams.

First, the agencies insist that if something about a crowdfunding effort or organization feels off, to trust gut reactions. There are plenty of legitimate organizations and people on the ground in Ukraine who need support and do real life-changing work that could use donations. There is never a missed opportunity.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of information being put out on social media and on crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe, and sometimes it is hard to differentiate what is legitimate and what is fraudulent. People try very hard to make these things seem legitimate, so it is important to know what to look for. To avoid fraudulent efforts, check out the profile of the person who set it up. If they have multiple crowdfunding efforts with similar wording in description sections or describe variations on a similar story, it is likely a scam.

In addition, the FTC advises searching the name of the charity along with “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam” to see what is being said about a charity. The FBI warns that sometimes fake or fraudulent charities will use copycat or similar names as legitimate charities. There are also plenty of websites that help people evaluate which charities to give to.

Charities will often use .org web addresses, not .com, so those looking to help should pay attention to that as well. It is also a good idea to investigate how a charity spends its money and where that money actually goes, or who it helps. These scams often play to people’s sympathies and tug at heartstrings, but try to not be fooled.

“Anytime you get something that would require an immediate or emotional response, always take a moment and say, ‘It’s worth it to the people I’m trying to help that I do a little research before I simply give,’” Adam Levin, co-host of the podcast “What the Hack with Adam Levin,” told CNBC.

The FTC also advises to not donate to a charity or individual if either asks for cash, gift card, or donations through wiring money. Instead, pay with a credit card or check and record all donations.

Often scammers will take advantage during a crisis, so it is important to not click on any emails or texts that are not from a known sender. The FBI also suggests manually typing in links instead of clicking on them if an unknown sender is sending them.

It is also important to not give personal information in response to an email, robocall, or Robo-text. If scammers get access to personal financial information, they will probably use it multiple times, not just as a one-time donation, so look out for that as well.

If a scam is confirmed, report it to relevant authorities, including the FBI or the FTC.