Benton County Sheriff Warns of Charity Scams

(KNSI) — The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is sending a warning about charity scams.

The sheriff’s office says there are always criminals just waiting to take advantage of good Samaritans looking to help out those in need, especially now with the conflict in Ukraine.

Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck says scammers are a frequent problem. “Heartbreakingly, I’d say about once a month or so I’ll see a case of somebody that has fallen victim to a scammer, and they’re out a large amount of money.” He says the office also fields requests “to come talk to civic groups about scams and so we try to focus our efforts to be proactive and make sure people understand how to be careful and how to avoid these things, because they’re everywhere.”

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office generally warns against any charity that asks for contributions by prepaid gift cards or cryptocurrency contributions. “Especially the prepaid gift cards are a real favorite of these criminals because they can’t be traced. They’ll convince victims to go buy these prepaid gift cards and give them the numbers. Unfortunately, at that point, the money is really gone. Cryptocurrency is another way of transferring money in a way that isn’t traceable.”

Research is the key to avoiding being scammed. Sheriff Heck says online resources help people decide if the organization is a reputable charity. Guide Star and Charity Navigator have non-profits highlighted for different categories, including the war in Ukraine. Charity Navigator has a section now highlighted for the Ukrainian-Russian crisis.

“The important part is to do some kind of research and give.org is a resource out there that’s put on by the Better Business Bureau. So when you have that organization that you think you want to give to, if you do some research there and do some research elsewhere. Make sure it’s a legitimate charity that has a proven track record.”

According to the Better Business Bureau’s website, not every organization can immediately provide aid to Ukraine. It suggests looking into the charity to see if it has had any previous activity in Eastern Europe.

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