GoFundMe - How do You Feel About It?

Jules

Jules

SF VIP
This summer we had hundreds of folks who lost or partially lost their homes because of forest fires. Those who asked for contributions first or who wrote the saddest description, got the most.

It feels like any time someone has an issue, there’s a request. Some have even been proven to be fake.

Sometimes the requests are for things like they’re unable to pay their rent.

Has it gotten out of hand? How do you feel?
 

Jules said:
This summer we had hundreds of folks who lost or partially lost their homes because of forest fires. Those who asked for contributions first or who wrote the saddest description, got the most.

It feels like any time someone has an issue, there’s a request. Some have even been proven to be fake.

Sometimes the requests are for things like they’re unable to pay their rent.

Has it gotten out of hand? How do you feel?
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I don't know if there are that many fake requests for funds out there. But, it sure did irk me when a second cousin asked for funds for his parents. I just couldn't believe that they were in need of money/help. After the fund raising, they were showing off a beautiful dog that they had bought. I just don't trust these things any longer.

I don't donate any more in GoFundMe. Don't get me wrong, I do donate where I know it's legit, i.e. my g-nephews high school, my nieces elementary school.
 
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If I personally know the person(s) being helped, yes, I gladly help if I determine the cause to be worthy of me sending money. Just a few weeks ago, a young couple’s 4 year old daughter was near death and needed three different transplants. I knew this little darling was born with severe debilities and was in need of these transplants. The young couple are known by us and although most of the medical expenses were being covered by insurances and grants from the society for what ailed the young girl, the parents were in need of travel money to allow them to be with their daughter at the hospital some 200 miles away. We decided to contribute to their cause.
 
I think that it is a good thing when it is used properly; but it is sometimes abused. People have been known to use someone’s misfortune and set up a GFM account, and then the person who set up the fund kept the money, or at least most of it. I know of one occasion that this happened to a friend and his family that were moving and had serious vehicle problems and needed help. The person who set up the account was even someone that they knew, so it seemed safe to donate, but then it turned out that the money didn’t get to the people who needed it.

On the other hand, one friend needed a motorized wheelchair after a stroke, and people all chipped in and helped him get the wheel chair; so it is not all good or all bad, you just have to try and decide if it is legit before donating.
 
People can and do lie and manipulate. There was a case for a fire in my area where a woman claimed a rental property she owned as her primary residence. While she deserved the insurance money she had on the place, she did not deserve the fema money for it being stated as her home. She got caught. How many don't.

It's like that mobile in a park I was interested in but didn't get. Of coarse. My real estate agent said sometimes people write letters. People can lie in those letters.
 
I think I may have contributed to a Go Fund Me pages twice. And those were due to requests from people I knew well on behalf of the people in need. One was a relative of my DIL who needed money for cancer treatment. I've seen some ridiculous requests and read about several that turned out to be scams so I don't donate to individuals I don't know, no matter how dire their situations may be.
 
I contributed once to a Go Fund Me set up to help an individual in our industry who was in need. He did get the funds.
 
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