When war broke out in Ukraine, President Zelensky’s plea for financial aid triggered a wave of donations from ordinary people around the world.
But scammers also heard the call. They fired into action, spreading emotional appeals into every corner of the internet.
On TikTok, unverified war footage is being exploited by fraudsters, pushing viewers to send emoji hearts that can be swapped for hard cash.
And fake websites and emails circulated, complete with heartbreaking stories designed to shake money from unwitting members of the public who just want to help.
We track down a real-life doctor whose identity was stolen by a fake charity touting for Bitcoin. The message claimed to be from a clinic in Ukraine – but we found the real doctor in Mexico.
And we speak to Unicef, whose brand has been hijacked by scammers, to ask how people can make sure their donations go to the right place. Reporter: Hannah Gelbart
Special thanks to Cristina Criddle
Photo credit: Getty Images

War scams: The criminals exploiting conflict in Ukraine

In-depth reporting on the world of social media.

News

In 2024 yet another Kennedy is making a bid for the White House. Robert F Kennedy Jr - nephew of the late President John F Kennedy - is enjoying strong polling numbers for an independent candidate. He’s running on a platform of promising to take on powerful vested interests to create a better life for the average American.  But away from his Camelot-infused stump speeches, he is facing questions about his long and controversial record of spreading misinformation about the safety of vaccines. In this episode, the BBC’s Health and Disinformation Reporter Rachel Schraer investigates how Kennedy is building a base from across the political spectrum, inspite of, or because of, his views on public health policy.

The anti-vax candidate?

In 2011, Tunisians took to the streets against the ruling authoritarian regime. Catalysed by social media, the protests would reverberate around the world, spark the Arab Spring and lead to significant democratic reforms in the country.  More recently, Tunisia’s democracy has reached a turning point. In 2021, as public frustration with the pandemic and the failing economy grew, the Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked the prime minister, suspended parliament and pushed through constitutional reforms consolidating his power. And now, it appears online debate is being suppressed. BBC Trending speaks to people who have experienced first hand how social media can be used to survey and attack the government’s critics.

Democracy on the brink in Tunisia?

In Malaysian Borneo, indigenous people have struggled for land rights against companies and the state. Using new mapping technology, communities in Borneo’s rainforests are racing to prove their claims. In this episode of Trending we’ll be exploring how technology and social media are being used and misused to shift the balance of power. Reporter: Jacqui Wakefield
Producer: Olivia Lang
Editor: Flora Carmichael

The new fight for land rights

Marianna Spring talks to a survivor of the mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017 about how posts on a social media account made him question an event he’d witnessed with his own eyes. Presenter: Marianna Spring
Producers: Ben Carter and Emma Close
Editor: Flora Carmichael
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

Fear and conspiracies in Las Vegas

"A flood of disinformation has erupted across social media in the online propaganda battle that’s being waged alongside the physical conflict between Israel and Hamas.  Everything from video game clips falsely presented as genuine combat footage, to the outright denial of civilian deaths, have been deployed to try to skew the online narrative and warp public perceptions.  BBC Verify’s Olga Robinson and Shayan Sardarizadeh examine the trends in this alternative war over the Middle East with the help of Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, the independent investigative organisation." Presenter: Olga Robinson
Reporter: Shayan Sardarizadeh
Producer: Ed Main
Editor: Flora Carmichael

War scams: The criminals exploiting conflict in Ukraine

Download our free app to listen on your phone