ST.JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. – The Russian invasion of Ukraine touches the hearts of many people.
You may find it difficult to sit idly by and do nothing to help. But, if you are planning to donate money to relief efforts, be careful as you could be an easy target for scammers.
A representative from the Better Business Bureau-Indiana said there are telltale signs that a charity is probably fake. Nichole Thomas advises people to go to Give.org or Who. is, before sending donations to ensure that the sites are real.
“It’s always the scammer’s fault when they scam someone, but in some ways we can do our due diligence to make sure we don’t get scammed,” said Nichole Thomas, director of communications at BBB Indiana.
BBB’s Thomas said scammers like to prey on people’s emotions, especially in times of crisis.
They are looking for ways to take advantage of your generosity and your desire to help. And with the conflict in Ukraine, many are turning to charities, GoFundMe and Airbnb accounts to get money into the hands of Ukrainians.
But, it’s important to be careful and take steps to protect yourself to ensure that your hard-earned money gets to those who need it.
Thomas recommends that you do your research, make sure the organization you’re donating to is legitimate. Fake charity scams can come from a phone call, text or online.
So, pay attention to the web address, check the grammar. If the words don’t make sense, that’s a red flag.
Thomas also says to check if the charity has been established since the start of the invasion. And if so, be careful.
Thomas says you can verify a charity by either going to give dot org or who dot is, which verifies the organization for you.
“Give.org really breaks down the stats, how did they use their money, what percentage goes to programs, what percentage goes to administration. It really gives you an unbiased view of the charity,” says Thomas.
Thomas said to use your best judgment to decide if something is legit or not.
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