Beware of donation scams involving Ukraine

Sticker refund, Ukraine support attracting scams Beware of texts messages on licence plate sticker refunds, and check where you donate to support Ukraine amid a rise in scams.

There is an outpouring of moral and financial support from Canadians who want to donate to the people of Ukraine, but there are also donation scams to be aware of.

"I was quite shocked. I would see hundreds of donations through a live stream and the video that claimed to be in the Ukraine appeared to be a fake," said Wave Wyld, a TikTok marketing expert.

Wyld told CTV News Toronto she started flagging videos on TikTok that claimed to be from Ukraine when she noticed scammers were creating fake live streaming videos.

Some of the videos used doctored or fake footage in an attempt to solicit donations through the social media platform. There are also accounts of realistic video game footage being used to make videos to try and solicit donations.

"You are just hearing people crying, making noises and people weeping and saying give me money, give me money," said Wyld.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress said it is not aware of any scams involving donations for Ukraine, but said those who want to donate to support the people of Ukraine can do so by donating to The Friends of Ukraine Defense Forces Fund or the  The Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

The federal government also said anyone donating to the Red Cross - Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal will have their donations matched dollar for dollar up $10M.

"When they learn how much help and financial aid and support there is for them they are receiving (here in Canada) it is like a blessing for them," said Nadia Prokopiw, spokesperson for the Toronto Branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

There are other charities that are also offering to help Ukraine, but anyone planning to make a donation is encouraged to do their research to better understand where their money is going.

Be careful if you get texts or e-mails seeking donations to support Ukraine and instead of clicking on any links provided it's better to seek out the charity yourself.