LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As Russia continues levying attacks against Ukraine, people across the globe are looking for ways to support people who are still in the country.
Azrael Roman, from Louisville, wanted to find a reliable way to get money directly to those in need.
“These charities spring up, what do you know, all these charity sites," she said.
Roman stumbled on a social media post encouraging people to rent Ukrainian Airbnb's. And so she did just that. Like so many others, she didn't plan to visit, but rather hoped the money would be an influx of cash for the host.
“There’s no shortage of war and weapons and hate, but there is a shortage of love and compassion," she said.
By coincidence, the host was using the rental as a safe house for other Ukrainians without homes.
“She obviously wasn’t renting it because there were people staying there," Roman said. "And I just told her 'Hey, I obviously can’t stay because there’s a war, but I want to help you.'"
She said the people of Ukraine are bold, "they're fearless and they're inspiring."
Roman said interacting with the seller through a translation tool on the Airbnb website made her feel safe about donating.
She knows there are people creating charity scams during the war, and that's exactly what the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General wants people to be aware of.
"Scammers are going to follow these types of disasters, they're going to follow disasters, war-torn areas, they really want to tug on your heartstrings," Director of the Office of Senior Protection LaDonna Koebel said.
Koebel said before donating to any charity, it's important to research them through sites like BBB's charity tracker. She said you should also be wary of phone or text message solicitations for donations.
If you want to rent from a Ukrainian Airbnb, Koebel recommends thoroughly vetting the host.
"You're not going to know, it could be somebody who lives in Florida," she warned. “I would vet that host or seller very closely."
To support the Ukrainian people, Airbnb funded housing for 100,000 refugees.
The company also announced in early March it would temporarily waive guest and host fees for Ukrainian bookings.
Roman said she also turned to Etsy, an online marketplace for small vendors. She had purchased items from Ukrainian sellers before and messaged some of them, hoping to support.
"I don’t necessarily need your product right now," Roman said of the messages. "But 'Hey this is just to help you out.'"
Roman said her experiences with Airbnb and Etsy have all been positive. If you're wary, she said it's easy to interact with hosts and sellers.
"Message your host," she said. "They're happy to talk back to you."
More than anything, she encourages people to do what they can to help.
“Whatever you give in this world is going to come back to you tenfold, be it negative or positive, you get what you give," she said. “I can’t do much, I can’t go fight, I can’t travel over there and become a martyr, but I can help a citizen.”
The Kentucky Office of the Attorney General reported they have not received any Ukraine-specific scam reports yet, but want to prepare people.
If you believe you were the victim of a scam, you can report it here.
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