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Is that Crowdsourcing site legitimate?

by | Dec 8, 2021 | Non-Profits

From the Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia:

After a tragedy, people want to help in any way they can, that often means contributing to fundraising campaigns benefiting the survivors, victims and their families. The recent shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford, MI, where four students were killed and six students and a teacher were injured has resulted in multiple crowdfunding campaigns.

Crowdfunding sites such as GoFundMe and IndieGoGo (both BBB Accredited Businesses) are used to help share the stories of individuals, families, and communities in need and to solicit funds from generous donors.

Unfortunately, tragedies such as the one in Oxford also provide an opportunity for scammers to set up fundraising accounts to misdirect funds intended for victims and those recovering from tragedies and disasters. BBB is warning would-be donors to be cautious when giving on crowdfunding sites, particularly if they do not know the individuals involved.

GoFundMe reached out to BBB to share information on how to determine if a fundraiser is legitimate and about their centralized hub for identifying verified fundraisers related to the shooting.

Here are tips donors can take to protect themselves:

  1. Review the fundraiser page: does the fundraiser have a clear title, image, and fundraiser story?
  2. Understand the use of funds: What is the purpose of the fundraiser and is the organizer transparent about how funds will be used?
  3. Check the beneficiary connection: how is the campaign organizer related to the beneficiary of the fundraiser?
  4. Look at the comments and donations: Are direct family, friends or community members making donations and leaving supportive comments?
  5. There are two crucial features users can find on each and every GoFundMe: a contact button for the campaign organizer and a ‘Report Fundraiser’ button. If you have any questions, you can easily reach the organizer directly. Clicking ‘Report fundraiser’ will result in one of our specialists investigating.

IndieGogo also has information on how to evaluate a campaignSee BBB’s tips on crowdfunding.

For more information:

BBB tips on charitable giving after a tragedy and what to know before giving on a crowdfunding site.

About the BBB serving Central Virginia:

BBB serving Central Virginia serves Richmond, the Tri-Cities, Charlottesville, and Fredericksburg, as well as 42 surrounding counties from Fauquier to Mecklenburg and Northumberland to Amherst. The nonprofit organization was established in 1954 to advance responsible, honest, and ethical business practices and to promote customer confidence through self-regulation of business. Core services of BBB include business profiles, dispute resolution, truth-in advertising, scam warnings, consumer and business education, and charity review.

 

 

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