CONSUMER FIRST ALERT: Ukraine email scam, Western Union refunds

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - The war in Ukraine has uprooted many families. Unfortunately, scammers are using the situation to steal from generous people.

UKRAINE WEALTH SHARE SCAM

An email message claiming to be a from a 22-year-old Ukrainian refugee is example. The email claims the woman has lost her father, mother and brother in the war. She asks for help, but there’s a catch. She says there’s $2 million from her father in a bank in Europe and she needs your help to claim the money. She promises 30 percent. The other 70 percent will be used to start a new life. THIS IS A SCAM.

Consumer agencies say never click on links or respond to unsolicited emails.

Seek out legitimate organizations and ways to donate.

If you’re looking for ways to donate to help Ukraine, we have a list of legitimate sources here: https://www.wbay.com/2022/03/16/ways-donate-ukrainians/

The Federal Trade Commission says to watch out for these red flags:

• ”Pay us by putting money on a gift card and then give us the number on the back.” — That’s a scam.

•”We’ll send you a check, deposit the check, and then send us the money.”— That’s a scam. (That check will later turn out to be fake and you will be on the hook for the money.)

•”You have to pay us by sending money through a money transfer company like MoneyGram or Western Union.” — That’s a scam.

•”Go to a store with a cryptocurrency ATM, put your money in to buy cryptocurrency, and use this QR code to send it to this address.” — That’s a scam.

WESTERN UNION REFUND

If you’re a victim who was tricked into send money to a scammer through Western Union, you still have time to file a claim to get your money back.

Refunds are part of a $586 million settlement stating Western Union violated the law for failing to guard against fraud.

The claim covers Jan. 1, 2004 through Jan. 19, 2017.

You have until July 2022 to file.

CLICK HERE to learn how to file.

Copyright 2022 WBAY. All rights reserved.