One of the main forms of fraud reported to the CAFC has been donation scams through social media. This includes instances of individuals and groups on Facebook asking users to directly send them money that they will then forward to a friend or charity in Ukraine, as well as similar campaigns on Instagram that ask Canadians to send donations via etransfer, said a police statement.
To avoid charity scams, the CAFC says Canadians should ask for information in writing before making a donation. They can also check if the charity is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency by calling 800-267-2384 to ensure it is legitimate.
The agency also warns Canadians not to click on any links in unsolicited text messages or emails seeking donations to support Ukraine.
Fake websites and advertisements
Another type of fraud the CAFC is seeing in relation to the crisis in Ukraine are fake websites and false online advertisements offering ‘cheap’ immigration services, or even some that ‘guarantee’ high paying jobs to refugees once they arrive in Canada.
The CAFC is warning that these websites often look very similar to official government sites.
“Beware if they are asking you to pay for application access fees or deposits before the application is even started,” the CAFC said.
If you are the victim of a fraud you can report it online.