Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills residents warned of Ukraine donation scams

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Published March 31, 2022 at 3:33 pm

Residents of Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills looking to make a donation to help out Ukraine are being warned by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CFAC) to be careful of current scams to steal your money.

The CFAC says it has received reports of charity scams related to the current situation in the war-torn European country aimed at stealing your money.

The scams are targeting individuals through email and text, internet and phone and fax.

The scammer will contact you and ask for a donation to a charity, association, federation or religious cause. The scammer will  often use high-pressure tactics to get you to donate immediately.

The charity may not exist, or the scammer may not actually be associated with it.

To avoid charity scams, ask for information in writing before making a donation. You can also check that the charity is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency at 800-267-2384.

Residents are also reminded to be on the lookout for false and deceptive crowdfunding ads.

The CFAC recommend you donate locally. If you would like to donate to a disaster relief campaign, a visit to your local Red Cross is recommended.

The CFAC asks you remember:

  • Refuse high-pressure requests for donations
  • Registered charities don’t accept cryptocurrency as a payment method
  • A legitimate charity or fundraiser will give you information about the charity’s mission, how your donation will be used and proof that your contribution is tax deductible
  • Ask the solicitor for the registered charitable tax number of the charity to confirm the charity’s registration information with the Canada Revenue Agency or by phone at 1-800-267-2384

 

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