Greg's Corner

How to help the people of Ukraine without being scammed

By Greg Collier

The Unites States is probably one of the most, if not the most, charitable country in the world. As a society, we do not hesitate to open our wallets and loosen purse strings when it comes to crises of human suffering. And right now, there is no bigger crisis than what’s currently happening in the Eastern European country of Ukraine. But as always, there is no humanitarian crisis that scammers won’t take advantage of, and yes, they are trying to take advantage of the situation in Ukraine.

Social media posts have already started popping up that lead to websites asking for funds for Ukraine. Except these websites do not state what charity they’re supposed to be collecting for or how the funds will help the people of Ukraine.

You’ll also want to avoid any form of solicitation when it comes to making any donations. This can include phone calls, emails, text messages, or messages through social media. These solicitors often use generic names for their charities, like ‘International Relief Fund’, or something along those lines. Also, avoid any supposed charity that asks for donations in methods like gift cards or cryptocurrency. You may want to avoid crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe, as scammers have been known to use them for scams after natural and man-made disasters.

If you really want to donate to help victims of the current crisis, stick to well-known charities such as UNICEF, The International Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders. These organizations are world renowned for helping those who have been displaced through war, famine, or natural disaster. You can find lists of other reliable charitable organizations here and here.

If there’s a charity not listed that you still want to donate to, please check with sites like Charity Navigator and Give.Org to make sure they are reputable charities.

Now more than ever, we need our donations going to the people who need them, rather than the pockets of scammers.