- Angus Crawford, Tony Smith
- BBC News
Hundreds of fake charity sites have been set up to collect donations from people who want to help Ukraine
Internet fraudsters are using hundreds of fake charities to deceive people who want to donate money to help Ukraine, according to a BBC investigation.
Such sites used the branding of charities such as Save the Children. Some swindlers even pretended to deliver equipment to soldiers on the front line.
The head of a charity called the practice horrific and said that fraudsters were taking money from children in need around the world.
The investigation revealed that a bogus website called Save Life Direct, which allegedly raised $ 100,000, was registered to a man in Abuja, Nigeria.
When the BBC searched for him and contacted him, he initially claimed to have sent donations to a “friend” in western Ukraine.
He later admitted that he did not raise $ 100,000 at all. He said he would provide evidence that the site was genuine, but he did not, and the website was removed the next day.
Advanced technology
Many fraudsters use emotional language, including pretending to be real people in Ukraine who need help.
One fictitious site stole information from a real organization that collects cash for the Ukrainian military, indicating an alternate address controlled by fraudsters to which money could be sent.
Tanya Tarasevich, whose profile was used by fraudsters, called attempts to make money in the war a crime
He even used real Facebook profiles of real Ukrainian volunteers, including the account of Tanya Tarasevich, whose job is to provide fighters on the front lines.
She said she was shocked by such actions: “This is the worst thing that can be done to a person when young children die in your country and your country is on fire. It is a crime.”
Hundreds of sites
Jack Whittaker, an online fraud expert who is writing his doctoral dissertation at the University of Surrey, said there are hundreds of such websites that are very successful.
His research shows that fraudsters are always looking for new opportunities.
“They’re just watching TV and looking for the next big event they can use, in which case the Ukrainian war was an ideal opportunity,” he said.
A BBC investigation also revealed that the logos and brand of the charity Save the Children were stolen and used to create a fake website.
Chris Sol of Save the Children says the scammers are taking advantage of the “generosity of the British public”.
“And the children we work with around the world will not get the support they need,” he added.
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