How to give money safely on GoFundMe and other crowdsourcing websites
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
As the war continues in the Middle East, some people may be looking at ways to financially help those who have been affected.
GoFundMe spokesperson Leigh Lehman said she has seen an outpouring of support for emergency relief to the Middle East recently.
There are also many active GoFundMes in Columbia this month, including a fundraiser for four MU swimmers who were hospitalized after a gas leak in Illinois and a fundraiser for employees out of work after last month's fire at Tellers Gallery and Bar.
Lehman said misuse on the platform is rare, but there are things people should do before making a donation.
- Review the fundraiser page to see if the title, story and images are all clear and make sense
- Read to see if it's clearly stated on the fundraiser page how donations will be used and how they will get to the beneficiary
- Check the organizer's connection to the fundraiser beneficiary
- Look at comments and previous donations to see if family, friends and community members are donating
"We certainly want folks to feel safe on the platform," Lehman said. "(Those) are really the best ways that folks, when they come to the platform and are looking at a fundraiser, perhaps through a connection that they're not as familiar with, they can have comfort in knowing that the funds are going to exactly what the organizer says that they're going to."
However, a spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau said whenever possible, give to those in need directly.
"We always suggest just giving it straight to that person, avoiding the third party, because it is hard to know that you are giving that money to that person," BBB spokesperson Sarah Wetzel said.
Lehman said GoFundMe encourages donors to do research before giving to a fundraiser and has tools people can use if they want more information.
She said each fundraiser has a link to contact the organizer with more details or questions, and if people aren't satisfied with the answer or don't get a response, they can click a 'report fundraiser' button to alert a specialist to review the fundraiser.
Lehman said the platform has a Trust and Safety Team that reviews fundraisers everyday and check to make sure organizers are who they say they are.
"They're finding information on the back end and confirming through identification as well as banking information," Lehman said.
She said if additional information is needed from an organizer, the team will put a hold on funds until they can confirm more information. If the platform does not hear back from an organizer or determines a fundraiser is not credible, donors are protected by a giving guarantee.
"In the rare case that something isn't right, donors are eligible for a full refund of their donation back to them through this guarantee," Lehman said. "So, it's a way that donors are certainly protected on the platform."
Lehman said people who create fundraisers for nonprofit organizers can have the funds go directly to the organization rather than through a third party. However, the BBB said in a news release that it's recommended to donate directly to the charity.
