Fake GoFundMe Scams

One sheriff’s department has urged the public to file a police report if they’ve donated to a bogus crowdfunding campaign.

Who Is It Targeting: Citizens in the county of jurisdiction

What Is It: Crowdfunding scam that stole money from donors

What Are They After: Law enforcement officers in Walker County, Alabama, have issued a warning to their area residents about a bogus crowdfunding campaign that sought donations for locals in need of assistance. The sheriff’s department has gone on to encourage anyone who has donated to the campaign to file a police report with their department and provide PayPal receipts or bank receipts for their donations.

How Can You Avoid It:

• Crowdfunding is a great way to help a specific cause that might have otherwise never gotten widespread attention or support.
• However, you cannot know what the person will do with the funds, or if the campaign is truly legitimate.
• Consider using a secure payment method or a credit card that will work to process a refund in the event you are the victim of fraud.
• As always, file a police report if your donation is used for fraudulent purposes.

If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. Find more information about current scams and alerts here. For full details of this scam check out this article from Walker County Today