KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Monday, a Reddit user who said they lived in Ukraine posted in a Knoxville group and said they are thinking of moving to the city. They said they wanted to find a job as soon as they got to Knoxville, and many of the respondents suggested reaching out to Yassin's Falafel House.
Yassin Terou has a policy in his restaurants to help refugees. Terou previously sought asylum from Syria as immigrated to the U.S. That Reddit user later responded Yassin's gave them an "open offer of employment."
However, when 10News contacted Terou, he said his restaurant hadn't offered anyone from Ukraine a job. He said nobody asked for one.
Terou said he suspected this post was a scam. The person who made the post on Reddit asked people to donate to them via PayPal so they could come to the U.S.
"It's got everything that scammers look for," said Tony Binkley from the Better Business Bureau in Knoxville. "Emotions are high, you want to help."
Binkley said in terms of crowdfunding, it's best to give money to people you actually know. The Better Business Bureau has a list of tips people should follow to make sure their donations actually go to people who need them in Ukraine.
Terou also said despite the scammers, people should help refugees as the war continues to rage in Ukraine and people flee to safety. He said giving them food and money is fine, but giving them a job and the opportunity for a future is more important.
Terou said he gives refugees patience and gets rewarded for it.
"When you work with somebody who doesn't speak the language, it's going to take them a while to shine, and to show you what they can do," said Terou.