PORTLAND, Maine — We hear a lot about GoFundME, and according to the crowdfunding site more than 50 million people use it. In some cases though, it can be used for scams.
There are signs to look for when trying to figure out if a campaign is for real, or fraud.
That's what NEWS CENTER Maine viewer, Karen Grant, wants to know. She writes in part, "In this day and age of internet scams….how do we tell the difference?"
To start, anyone can create a campaign on the for-profit crowdfunding website. It's up to individual donors to verify if the campaign is legit or not.
There are a few things to look for:
- There should be a clear description of how the campaign organizer is related to the recipient of the funds and how funds will be used.
- You can also look to see if direct relatives and friends of the organizer are donating and leaving supportive comments.
The president of Maine's Philanthropy Center offers some advice as well.
"Ask lots of questions if there's that opportunity with the page," suggested Barbara Edmond. "Or think about looking at GoFundMes that are things that are close to home, things they may be able to verify more."
According to a GoFundMe spokesperson, there are "multiple processes in place to verify the identity of campaign organizers and the beneficiary of the campaign."
Fortunately in Maine, fraudulent GoFundMe accounts don't appear to be a big problem. The attorney general's office has only received four calls regarding concerns of fraudulent campaigns since GoFundMe launched nearly a decade ago.