GoFundMe is one of the top online platforms people use to ask others for donations to help themselves or their loved ones. The site has a dedicated team to ensure the money raised goes to the intended recipients. If something fails in that regard, the GoFundMe team issues refunds.
However, fake fundraisers still occur even with those measures in place. Yes, scammers will even use charitable fundraisers to get money out of good-intentioned victims. So how can you spot a fake fundraiser?
Here are some actionable ways to identify a legitimate campaign and steer clear of a GoFundMe scam.
1. Get Outside Confirmation Before Donating
When people hear of tragic events, many naturally feel compelled to do whatever they can to help. The internet and its crowdfunding sites make it easy to do that in seconds by using a credit card or external service like PayPal.
One simple way to avoid a GoFundMe scam is to use an external source to verify that a fundraiser’s dollars genuinely go to the victim. So when you chance upon a fundraiser, navigate to Google or another search engine in a different tab and search for one or more of the parties involved. It's an easy way to verify that the claims, at least, are real.
Yes, this really works. In one such case, an Alabamian meteorologist whose yard got damaged by recent tornadoes saw his name used to promote several fake fundraisers. He thanked people for their kind words and urged them to give money to homeless people instead, particularly since his abode remained intact.
This strategy may also reveal valid donation avenues. Consider the example of Ella French, a Chicago police officer killed in the line of duty. A local police union warned people of several known fundraising scams. They also named another campaign where individuals can donate and know that all proceeds support the woman’s family.
That approach caters to people who want to help and reduces the chances they’ll fall for an online trick.
2. Read the GoFundMe Description and Updates
Another straightforward way to spot a scam is to read the campaign description and any associated updates thoroughly. When GoFundMe identifies a potentially fraudulent campaign, it may require the people involved to clarify things for the site’s users.
This actually occurred when a woman raised more than $200,000 to prevent her eviction. She appeared on national news describing herself as the mother of three young girls, but the media outlet ultimately realized that it was a misleading statement.
GoFundMe later required her to post an update on the platform to state that she’s not their biological mom but a mother figure in their lives. She also reiterated an earlier commitment to use the money raised to set up a savings account for each child. Her initial goal was only to raise $2,000 to stay in her house, so that’s a valid way to spend the excess.
Taking the time to read the GoFundMe campaign information carefully can help you decide if you’re giving money to a sensible cause.
Does the person asking for money provide clear details about the reasons for needing financial assistance to make you feel confident about contributing? If not, perhaps it’s time to look elsewhere.
3. Consider Donating to a Charitable Organization Instead
GoFundMe is a well-known crowdfunding platform, but it’s not the only way to financially assist someone in need. A 2021 charitable giving report showed that 69 percent of donations came from individuals. That finding emphasizes that people are eager to donate when they can.
If you feel the same, consider looking beyond crowdfunding platforms. For example, choosing a sponsor-a-child campaign allows you to directly contribute to the communities where young people live, making life better for everyone there.
Charitable organizations are not perfect. However, it’s usually easier to verify where your money goes in those cases compared to GoFundMe campaigns launched by individuals.
Plus, some GoFundMe campaigns get far more than needed, leaving the creator to specify other ways they intend to use the money. That’s okay in some cases, but donors often prefer knowing what happens to their funds with certainty before parting with them.
Charitable organizations can typically provide that, but such transparency is not always possible with GoFundMe campaigns.
4. Review Donor Comments
Looking through the comments from people who have donated could also reveal a GoFundMe scam. More specifically, if you don’t see any from people who identify themselves as family members or close friends of the beneficiary, that could be a red flag.
Because if your family member or friend were running a genuine fundraiser, you'd surely support them. You have to question any campaigns where only strangers are donating.
Consider the case of a woman who raised more than $2,000 with the help of 28 people. She told the donors the funds were to cover the funeral and cremation expenses for her husband. However, her relatives ultimately alerted the police that she was using them for her living expenses.
The woman allegedly left her partner’s body at the morgue. The incident and a police investigation that followed led to an indictment.
That’s just one example, but it’s a case where at least some of her relatives did not support the woman’s actions.
Noticing silence from the people closest to the GoFundMe campaigner could be a sign there’s something amiss. At the very least, you could treat it as a cue to dig deeper to find more information before donating.
Thoughtfulness Could Prevent a GoFundMe Scam
It’s easy to feel empathetic while reading about someone’s tragic situation, then become compelled to donate immediately. However, going through these steps can help you avoid fake fundraisers and rest assured your money goes where you expect.
If you're interested in donating to a charity, go to the source or do a bit more research than you normally would. Finally, look into other crowdfunding platforms such as Patreon, Flattr, or Indiegogo for supporting creatives or programs you like.