To find this disgusting and criminal - fake gofundme?

[caroloro]

So. There's a parent at school who, it transpires, has set up a number of gofundme and just giving pages. Or their spouse has. Some of these are basic begging - basically, we're struggling, please fund our holiday/our house, with a bit of a sob story (they do have it harder than most).

However, there's a few where there are outright lies to garner additional sympathy. I won't go into them in order to maintain some anonymity, but they're HUGE fibs involving injury and robbery and massively exaggerated medical needs.

A lot of parents at school are aware of these, and of course the grapevine has activated and it is being talked about. The family involved have not taken any steps to anonymise the fundraising pages, and they contain photographs of the children and parents and pets.

AIBU to find this utterly disgusting behaviour and to want to call it out/report it?

OMG. YANBU. That is disgusting. You should report it to the police!

I would report it to the police for deception

Echoing what pps have said

It's an American host company, their legislation wont apply in the UK

www.wikihow.com/Report-GoFundMe-Fraud

You can try, but I wouldn't hold out any hope.

BTW - your OP say they have it harder than most - these sorts of things are never going to actually garner any money so why do you want to kick them when they are struggling ? Is it actually impacting on you? No, it isn't.

NewYearNewMe18

Why does it bother me? The lies. The lies about their children. The photographs of their children. The lies about the things that have happened to/are wrong with their children. The sheer bloody cheek of it.

So no, it's not harming me. But is seems outrageously appalling behaviour. Especially to publically make these claims, with their location and photos attached. I don't want to kick them, particularly. It just seems like something needs to be done! I'd go through the roof if one of my teenagers tried this. How is it OK?

It's not ok but it's none of your business. Just leave them to it. What goes around, comes around.

If this family were fraudulently collecting money for a "charity" in collection boxes on the street, I doubt you'd be saying it's no-one's business and to leave it? It is a criminal act, simple as. OP you should report it to the police.

This week I have had FB notifications from two "friends" - - begging asking for crowd funding donations to buy their children expensive sound systems so they can take bookings. Both children are - - not brilliant singers and only 12/13 years old!

Ex friends now obviously.... Crowd funding is a brilliant thing when it's not being abused

Strike out fails. Still learning... 😏

Tbh I think half of gofundme is cheeky fuckery and the other half is plain lies. There might be some genuine stories behind all the crap, but since it's so hard to tell, I wouldn't donate unless I knew the people involved personally.

If people donate to randoms then it's their own fault and shouldn't be let loose on the Internet.

Sems this is more common than I thought! It isn't the asking/begging so much that bothers me (although I do think it's cheeky); it is the massive huge enormous lies that are being told about their children and the things that are wrong with them!

I think if anyone had donated any money at all, I'd probably be more inclined to take action; but the grand total raised across all six of the begging pages is a big fat zero; so I guess no harm done....but it still irks me! The cheek!

Cant you go onto the site and leave an appropriate comment anonymously?

Why the current obsession with 'calling out'? Isn't that a gypsy thing where you challenge someone to a fight for a perceived slight?

Cant you go onto the site and leave an appropriate comment anonymously?

Only if you donate and even then I'd expect that adverse comments can be hidden.

'Judging another person doesn't define who they are ~ it defines who you are'.

Let it go ~ it's nothing to do with you.

I think the authorities have enough to do with trying to stop child porn, if people are stupid enough to send them money it’s down to them - much of what is on the internet is lies/fake news/criminal action - sad really people thought it would be for communication/knowledge not porn, political lies, drugs etc

Just create a Fb page to tell the truth, invite everybody including yourself and invite them as well

If this family were fraudulently collecting money for a "charity" in collection boxes on the street, I doubt you'd be saying it's no-one's business and to leave it? It is a criminal act, simple as. OP you should report it to the police.

^This