Fake Crowdfunding / GoFundMe Scam
A fabricated fundraiser — a fake medical crisis, tragedy, or invented beneficiary — collects donations that go to the scammer, not any cause.
Think a message like this reached you? You can check it right now.
What this scam is
Scammers create crowdfunding campaigns around invented tragedies, stolen stories, or people who never consented, sometimes copying real fundraisers. Shared widely on social media, they collect donations that never reach any genuine cause. Some steer you off-platform to pay by app (avoiding the platform's protections). Because platforms feel trustworthy, people give quickly without verifying.
What it usually looks like
- An emotional fundraiser shared by strangers or new accounts.
- A story that may be copied from real news or other campaigns.
- Requests to donate off-platform by app.
- Vague or unverifiable organizers/beneficiaries.
Common warning signs
- Being pushed to pay off-platform (Cash App, Venmo).
- Organizers with no connection to the beneficiary.
- Stories or photos reused from elsewhere.
- Pressure to give fast.
Example wording scammers use
“Please help this family — donate via Cash App directly, the platform takes too long.”
“Share and give now, every second counts for little Emma's surgery.”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- Donations routed to them, not a cause.
- Off-platform payments with no protection.
- To exploit sympathy and virality.
What to do
- Donate through the platform, never off-platform by app.
- Verify the organizer's connection to the beneficiary.
- Search the story and photos for reuse.
- Give to established charities when unsure.
What to do if you already responded
- Report the campaign to the crowdfunding platform.
- Dispute a card donation if fraudulent.
- Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.