Scam Spotting 101: 1-16
Screenshots of your Donation
Scammers will ask you to take a screenshot of your donation.
They often come from countries that are blocked from attaining PayPal accounts.
They often use mules or otherwise shared accounts.
They can't directly access said accounts and need proof of the amount of money flow they are responsible for.
We suspect they often work on commission.
These are NETWORKS!
You might lose 20 Dollars, but they amass hundreds of thousands. Hundreds of thousands of Dollars meant for Ukraine!
They have a homepage link!
We've seen a lot of scammers link homepages to their profile
They do it to seem legit
Anyone can link any webpage to their Xwitter profile
Does the webpage look trustworthy?
Always check if the webpage is linked to the same Xwitter account
No
Ask the owners of the webpage if they have a Twitter profile through their e-mail.
Yes
- leads anywhere else than where you started? Red Flag!
- leads to starting point and seems legit.
- No Scam-warnings, friendly conversation, positive reviews?
They are Soldiers
🪖 Soldiers will not message strangers to ask for money for food, money for their child, new boots or whatever.
🪖Soldiers have access to their money.
🪖Soldiers are not charged money so he/ she can go on leave
🪖No one is required to request leave on behalf of a soldier
🪖Soldiers do not pay for their flights home
🪖Soldiers do not have to pay to retire
Scammers pose as service members, typically soldiers, and emotionally manipulate victims into sending them money, gift cards etc.
Too Good to be True
If the profile of the soldier seems too perfect, it could be a sign of a scam.
Scammers often use photos stolen from the internet, typically of attractive individuals
The life they portray may seem unrealistically ideal.
UPDATE:
There are very attractive Soldiers, we know...
They will NOT send DM’s to you without knowing you
If that happens, send them to us!
Stay guarded with escalating emotions and avoid sharing personal info.
Quick Emotional Involvement
Scammers often try to accelerate the relationship and express strong emotions in a short period of time.
They can be overly loving and caring to quickly gain your trust.
They will call you Sweetheart, My Queen, Love
You will be the most wonderful, gorgeous person in the world
And STRONG, you’ll be strong too!
...maybe even a hero...
Listen to your gut! If anything feels off, send them to us to get checked.
Inconsistent Information
If the details they share about their life don't add up, or if they avoid answering certain questions about their background, it may be a scam.
Do they know the actual time in Ukraine?
Do they know the weather?
Ask questions! They want something from you, so they should be able to answer a few questions, right?
Question inconsistencies. If you’re not satisfied with the answers, send them to us to check out!
No Video Calls/Meeting
Scammers usually avoid video calls or meetings in person because they don't match the stolen photos they use.
Excuses to not have a video call:
Signal would give away their position
But they can text and send you pictures all day?
They are just simply not allowed
see above
They send a video instead...
Request video calls/meetings. If they keep refusing, consider ending communication and send them our way!
Asking for Money
This is the scammers ultimate goal. They will ask for money for various reasons, such as:
flights to come see you
medical expenses
they are trapped somewhere
Ransom
to transport treasures to your place to keep safe
they are starving
marriage certificates, documents, leave...
Yeah, we know... just make sure you donate to fundraisers that are in the OPEN. Ask to see receipts of how the donations were spent.
Language and Grammar
Despite portraying themselves as a native English speaker, their language may have notable mistakes or odd phrasing, as many scammers operate from non-English speaking countries.... yes, they often pretend to have grown up in the US. (The same goes for other countries
Their language level seems inconsistent... it seems like you're talking to different people? (Because you probably are)
Be wary if their language use seems off or inconsistent. Let us have a look at their profile. They will never know we looked and we only call out fakes.
Move Off Social Media Platform
Scammers often request to move the conversation to a more private channel like:
email
WhatsApp
Signal
Telegram
or another Chat platform
where their activities are less likely to be monitored
to isolate you
to connect to you emotionally faster
Stick to the original platform to maintain its security measures.
Documents or Photos
If they share photos or documents like a military ID, they may look tampered with or be of low quality. Military IDs and other sensitive documents should not be shared due to security reasons.
Take a good look at names and dates. Check how an original would look like.
You can always do a reverse search on the pictures you get! Ask Google how that’s done.
Take a very close look at anything you receive... It might just be fake! If you are unsure, ask someone who might know. We would help too.
Urgency and Pressure
Scammers often create a sense of urgency to induce their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through.
It’s usually life or death, immediate danger
generally, at times when you would be asleep/ busy
They emotionally pressure you into sending money or sharing personal information.
because you just don’t love them enough if you don’t
they are lonely and afraid
you should feel bad for being safe
Always take your time with decisions involving money or personal info.
Vagueness about their Location
If they're vague about where they're stationed, or their location doesn't match up with what you know about the Ukrainian military, it might be a scam.
Real soldiers should have a:
reliable base or location
grasp on the Time and Weather
Company they are in
Just Ask Google if they are telling you the truth.
Do independent research and ask detailed questions about their location.
Always in Some Sort of Crisis
Scammers typically make it seem like they're always facing some sort of crisis or emergency situation, which only you can help resolve.
This is a ploy to make you feel sympathetic and open your wallet. They will be:
Starving
Freezing
Barefoot
without shelter
Lost
Dying from injury
etc.
Don't feel compelled to help financially. Real problems should be handled by local authorities.
They Have NO Friends or Family
Scammers often claim they're alone in the world.
NO family or friends who can help them out of their current predicament.
This is a tactic designed to make you feel sorry for them and more likely to offer financial assistance.
We hear a lot about:
Families that have died in the war
Single Parents with Children that live with caretakers, far away
Loss of friends due to trauma
Understand that this is a common scam tactic. Don't offer financial help! Send them our way!
Dramatic/Complicated Story
Scammers often create intricate, dramatic narratives, involving heroism or tragedy, to legitimize money requests.
Real military personnel typically avoid sharing such personal stories with recent online acquaintances.
Frequent contacting/ texting lets their target become part of the story.
Be sceptical of dramatic stories, especially if they lead to financial requests.
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