FBI PSA – FBI Warns of Scammers Soliciting Donations Related to the Crisis in Ukraine

The FBI has published a Public Service Announcement (PSA) warning the public of fraudulent schemes seeking donations or other financial assistance related to the war in Ukraine. According to the PSA, “criminal actors are taking advantage of the crisis in Ukraine by posing as Ukrainian entities needing humanitarian aid or developing fundraising efforts, including monetary and cryptocurrency donations.” Taking advantage of crises to scam unwitting individuals is nothing new, but its important to be aware of these schemes as fraudsters develop more sophisticated scams to steal money. Best practices for verifying charities include, but are not limited to, researching a charity online to see if they are aligned with fraudulent activity and also checking with a state charity regulator to see if the organization contacting you is legitimate. For additional strategies on protecting yourself and your organization from fraud access the full PSA. To report an incident or file a complaint, visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Read the full PSA here.