Highlighting the needy, with Anthony Bernard.

Exmouth Journal: Exmouth Community Food Larder manager Anthony Bernard.Exmouth Community Food Larder manager Anthony Bernard. (Image: Archant)

The Ukraine war is bringing out the best in us, but also bad people ready to take advantage.

Gardeners know that meat should never be put on a compost heap because rats gather where they find food. People with evil intent are drawn to opportunity - just as robbers are drawn to banks.

Dialogue from an old western comes to mind: "why do you rob banks? Because that is where the money is."

Young women and children escaping from the Ukraine are worried and vulnerable.

A news report picked up a text dialogue in which the host was checking that a refugee applicant was young, single and female, raising a clear alarm.

Russian observers would wish to know about refugees so as to find the relatives of fighters active in Ukraine and interrupt supplies or cash being sent out.

Informers and false refugees will be rare, but well hidden. It is already clear that the Russians are mounting a dirty war.

My awareness that all may not be correct started when I was a small boy.

A skittle fell off a fairground lorry - but this one was solid iron.

The top of a stack might be knocked down, but not solid iron skittles at the bottom.

This particular skittle became a garden implement, used for breaking concrete and hammering in fence posts.

The generosity of those offering homes to refugees from Ukraine is wonderful and amazing, but the easiest refugees to find will be those with good English.

Those with the worst problems will be Ukrainian speakers with low self-esteem and poor self-assurance.

Informers and false refugees may be rare, but they will be among the well-connected and self-assured pushing themselves forward, so it should be no surprise that all visa applications are being examined carefully.

Meanwhile, fraudsters are trying to capture donations by sending out emails using scamming techniques, another example of how evil doers take advantage of people's goodwill.

I just had a scam call from a false 01395 number, aiming to fool me.

The recommendation is to ignore any specific request and use real drop off points in the area.

Christian Response to Eastern Europe has a base in Spiders Lane, Exmouth, with regular lorry loads going to Moldova. DEC, the Disasters Emergency Committee, of which CAFOD and Christian Aid are members, are safe conduits for cash donations, which can be earmarked for Ukraine.

There is much more chaos in the world which also needs and deserves support.

In East Devon we are fortunate to have plenty, including enough to support needy local people through the foodbank.

Fraud and scams have become so common that the BBC showed a programme on how to avoid being caught. Banks are also very aware and will never ask for any details; any caller prying for information should immediately be suspect.

It is awful to realise that evil could be trying to taking advantage of so much generosity.

My favourite story, from a long time ago, was an American International Lawyer who got badly caught by a Nigerian scammer - he thought he knew enough to manage the problem.

The simple rule is only donate when you already know and trust the recipient, and never download any ‘app’ or software that is on offer.

Every elderly brown trout knows not to bite a fly that is too easily cast their way - there may be a rod and line on the other end.