Calls for donations, both monetary and material, to help Ukrainians amidst the Russian invasion of the country have feverishly ramped up in recent days and weeks. Across the globe, citizens, including Canadians have been inundated with pleas from various organizations to donate to help Ukrainians fleeing their country as Russian bombs continue to drop.

And while the cause is noble and Canadians have answered the call to help, it is also prudent to note, that not everyone who is asking for donations for Ukraine may have an altruistic goal in mind. Wes Lafortune, Media and Communications Specialist at the Better Business Bureau (BBB) said that while BBB has yet to hear of serious, widespread scamming and fraud that is piggybacking on the Ukraine crisis, it is nonetheless essential to be vigilant. 

“Cash is always a really good thing, charities really appreciate cash because they can be on the ground and purchase what they need, very quickly and easily. But what you need to do is make sure it's a registered charity in Canada,” Lafortune said. 

Lafortune said the Canada Revenue Agency issues a charitable number to every registered charity and that it is publicly available. 

“Most charities will also put that on their websites and present that to donors in their information,” he said. “Look for a track record; has the charity worked in Ukraine before? Do they have a track record on the ground? And if so, where's the money going to go to specifically.” 

Armed with that knowledge, Lafortune said that those offering donations can be more at ease than the money they are donating will make it to the people they intend it for. 

As far as crowdfunding goes, Lafortune said while many crowdfunding sites may have the best intentions, it is still important to ask questions. 

“You want to look at what is the background of crowdfunding? How long has it been around? Who's behind it and where is the money going?” Lafortune said. “We [BBB] recommend that you to a registered charity to make a donation.” 

He also stated that the Better Business Bureau operates a site called give.org, which overviews major charities; charities that have gone through an accreditation process. Lafortune said that although there may also be individuals not tied to any organization who are trying to encourage donations, he still urged caution. 

“Be cautious, be skeptical. That’s why we tend to recommend going back to looking at a registered charity, a charity that has a track record. I'll use the Red Cross as an example of a charity that has a significant track record around the world,” he said. “That's why it makes sense for people to look for major charities that have a track record because they know their money is going to go to the right place.”  

Lafortune also said that any individual or organization that is asking for cryptocurrency donations should be further scrutinized. 

"Cryptocurrency is the riskiest scam in Canada; [that] doesn't mean that all cryptocurrencies or crypto assets are scams, but there are many fraudsters and organized crime operating cryptocurrency and crypto assets," he said. "Always be skeptical of where you're sending your money because, of course, people want, when they're donating to, for instance, to support people in Ukraine; they want to know that those people will actually provide support on the ground."

Currently, it is estimated that 1.5 million Ukrainians have fled their country in desperate search of safety.  

Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com