Scams involving crowdfunding campaigns and fake donations: how can you protect yourself?

The popularity of online crowdfunding and donation campaigns has grown exponentially, especially during large-scale emergencies like natural disasters. 

But unfortunately, along with the solidarity such events bring, come opportunists who take advantage of vulnerable moments to commit scams. Fake requests for donations and crowdfunding campaigns have been spread all over social media, deceiving many people with honest intentions.

In this article, we'll explain how these scams take place, how to protect yourself, and what to do if you're a victim.

What are fake crowdfunding scams?

Fake crowdfunding scams involve fraudulent campaigns that pretend to be legitimate fundraising efforts for humanitarian causes, personal projects, or emergency aid. 

These scams intensify during crisis situations like floods, earthquakes or fires. They are designed to take advantage of people's sense of urgency and willingness to help. These phony campaigns often look legitimate and include compelling photos and heartbreaking stories, making it somewhat difficult to identify the fraud.

How do these types of scams take place?

Scammers employ a variety of methods to create these fraudulent campaigns:

• Creating imitation campaigns: scammers create fake pages on crowdfunding platforms or social media, asking for donations to fictitious causes or copying real campaigns;

• Identity theft: in some cases, images and stories can be stolen from legitimate campaigns to make them look authentic, attracting more donors;

• Phishing attacks: some scammers send emails or messages that appear to be from trusted organizations, but contain links leading to phony websites.

How can you protect yourself from fake crowdfunding scams?

Distinguishing a legitimate campaign from a fake one can be difficult, especially when sophisticated scammers are involved. However, there are a number of ways to protect yourself from fraud:

1. Check the legitimacy of the platform: make sure that donations are made using well-known and trusted crowdfunding platforms. Assess the site's credibility, trustworthiness, and the experiences other people have had before you decide to make a donation;

2. Confirm the authenticity of the campaign: if possible, contact the campaign organizers directly. Many legitimate campaigns include links to verified pages or the organizations' websites.

3. Be cautious of urgent and unverified requests: scams often exploit a sense of urgency. Be very careful if a campaign seems to be pressuring you to donate immediately without offering any concrete information.

4. Check sources of information: verify that the cause being shared with the public is true. If there is news about the event or the person needing help, the campaign is more likely to be legitimate.

5. Watch out for suspicious links and messages: never click on links found in unsolicited emails or messages. Always access the campaigns directly through the platform's website.

What should you do if you're the victim of a scam?

If you suspect that you've fallen for a fake crowdfunding scam, follow these steps:

1. Contact the platform: report the scam to the platform where the campaign was posted. These platforms often have refund procedures or can take legal action against scammers;

2. Notify the authorities: file a police report and provide all available information about the scam;

3. Protect your data: if you have provided personal information, such as credit card details, contact your bank or card company to block the card and monitor your accounts for suspicious activity;

4. Spread the word: making sure to warn others about the scam can prevent more victims from falling into the same trap. Share your experience on social media and report the fake webpage.

Crowdfunding scams and fake donations are, unfortunately, a rising threat in the digital environment. However, with the right precautionary measures, you can considerably reduce these risks. Moreover, by carefully checking the legitimacy of campaigns and platforms, you can continue to help those who truly need it without becoming a victim of fraud.