To think that stories with a GoFundMe attached should have to be more honest?

[hlion]

I have seen lots of posts on other social media recently of people sharing stories and then an associated GoFundMe page.

The story is usually “something has gone wrong and now we need funds to help” but I always think that this is clearly half a story and isn’t strictly honest.

I’d be so much more like to donate to “we had holiday insurance but stupidly didn't realise it didn’t cover this activity and now we really need help to cover medical costs” rather than “we had an accident and need help”.

Putting a little bit more information and honesty would also discourage the scathing comments saying people are being grabby etc!

I also think if you haven’t had insurance for xyz, or hadn’t planned carefully the you should be honest! If anything it would again make me more likely to donate as it’s clear you’ve realised you made a mistake and now need help rather than pretending it’s not down to your error

AIBU to think Go Fund Mes should have to be more upfront and honest?

As far as I'm concerned GoFundMe is begging.
On principal i don't give money to GoFundMe people so it wouldn't make any difference to me how they present their stories.
I do have standing orders for various recognised reputable charities that I support.

Do you ever give money to peoples stories? How much would you say you donate?

i have a theory that people who think like this never donate to anything anyway so what they think doesn’t really matter because they’re not the target market

I would probably help someone with a medical condition, who needed to raise money to get treatment not offered on the NHS, or some equipment to make their life easier, eg special wheelchair, superior prosthetic limbs but in the case of those who have taken a risk with their travel insurance, or lack of it, even admitting their mistake, no- they’ll have to raise the money within the family, get a loan, sell stuff etc.

Agreed.
I much more prefer to give my money to Breast Cancer..McMillan or my local hospice than to folks who are begging because their own incompetence put them in this situation

That’s not my experience. They are usually set up when a tragedy occurs and there is no life insurance as it is a young person and unexpected or someone has been a hero.
I have donated in the past and will do in the future when it is a desperate situation, life ending or life limiting.
You don’t have to know the juicy details.

I have probably donated actually via Go Fund Me itself maybe 3 or 4 times.

I do regularly donate to the local hospice, local rspca and MacMillan.

I’d be more inclined to donate to a personal story if it was fully truthful though. I am probably more cautious that it’s people trying it on etc on something like GoFundMe

if someone has died and they left a family then I get why they need help, especially if no money for a funeral etc. but in an instance of say, needing help after a holiday injury, I don’t see why we shouldn’t know if this person had adequate insurance or decided not to bother etc

As I said I am not drawn to those requests, and I don’t scroll through the website to read people’s stories, if I see something horrendous on the news or locally then I’ll actively search for the go fund me to donate.

All charity is begging. The only difference is whether you are also paying for the media machine to get your money and a CEO to run it, or not.

I don’t really like go fund me in general. Unfortunately the purpose of it overall I feel has been lost by most people and now everyone and their mother is on the beg.

There was a local one for a man who had been injured. The go fund me was set up to raise funds so they could renovate their house, put a downstairs bathroom, bedroom etc. they raised a massive amount of money (not enough to do what they needed, but it would have been a big chunk). They spent the money on 2 new range rovers, designer handbags for the wife and some other frivolous purchases - this was confirmed by them after a whistleblower posted on a local Facebook site. The local community was up in arms about it as obviously that’s not why people donated.

I saw another one where a headstone had been damaged and they wanted £300 to replace it, raised the £300, then increased it to £500, then it was £700, then £1000. In the end their goal was £2000 - just on the beg after that because people kept donating.

i do think there needs to be strict rules about it such as you can’t increase the goal without proof it’s needed, what you can and can’t raise funds for.

You’ll happily give 70p of each £1 you donate to smokers who got lung cancer?

interesting to see what people donate to.

i don’t donate to MacMillan. Some of their practices I don’t agree with.

i never donate to “raise money for treatment the nhs won’t fund” as generally it’s because the treatment is not effective. If it were, the nhs would fund it. Especially “treatment in America”. Generally it’s not better or worthwhile, it’s simply a matter of if you can pay well do the treatment you want, regardless of whether it will help.

the nhs reviews every medication and if it genuinely improves outcome it’s funded. I knew a kid with a brain tumour who was given paid for treatment abroad as the nhs deemed it would help and it wasn’t available here.

That’s the same thing though?

why discriminate against someone who doesn’t have travel insurance, but not against someone who doesn’t have life insurance?

both cases of not having adequate insurance.

Genuine question, what is it that you don’t agree with?

I agree with your point re medical treatment abroad. Sadly more often than not it’s terminally ill people who are desperate for anything and won’t listen to anyone who says nothing can be done

Go Fund Me is a form of altruistic crowdfunding and it’s not regulated. People donating should be made aware to be vigilant of scams by the platform but I doubt GFM are doing much about misuse of funds etc

Well true, but if someone dies and their family needs support, it’s clear they had no life insurance.

If someone is cryptically saying they were injured on holiday, it’s not clear if they had insurance or if they were behaving stupidly etc etc

i suppose it’s also an element of the family of those who died are innocent whereas the person injured on holiday is, to an extent at least, reaping the consequences of their own actions

Or both didn’t qualify for affordable insurance?

either way the outcome is the same. You’re just saying you think some of them deserve to go through hell and some deserve you throwing £10 at their £350,000 (or similar) repatriation bill.

They are known for tactics such as funding a “macmillan nurse” for a short time, with the condition they retain their branding when their funding ends.

so many people think they are being treated by a “MacMillan nurse” when it’s an nhs funded nurse in MacMillan uniform.

that and we had to throw them out of our home. They were more than useless, did nothing practical, just wanted to talk about death and dying, upsetting our relative.

Marie curie, who actually came and did the end of life nursing, also do what many perceive as MacMillan.

so no. I will not donate to them when they are using nhs money to further their “brand”. And I do believe it is a “brand” and not so much a true charity these days.

oh yes and also their hijack of the ALS ice bucket challenge to promote their own fundraising.

Not true. Yes everything is checked out but definitely cases where funding of a suitable drug has been refused due to exorbitant costs that the NHS just can't maintain.

Hadn’t heard of the idea that they brand nhs nurses in their uniform, which is very disappointing to hear!

I’m sorry you had such a poor experience with them! As much as it’s obviously down to if you get an individual who isn’t helpful or is unkind etc but I understand it’s still really upsetting in a difficult time.

They did a lot for my grandfather, which is why I donate, though I am now wondering if their nurses were actually nhs staff 🤣

Can anyone set up a Go Fund Me? I could do with raising some ££££ for my heating oil 😂

I know a family who has a GoFundMe page. Young kids, Dad has terminal brain cancer. Awful. All checks out. It’s to fund treatment not on the NHS that has extended his life. I was happy to donate and will continue to donate. When it’s someone you know it’s a really rewarding way of seeing how that small donation and many others can really make a difference to a family. Is more practical than ‘thoughts and prayers’ and I’m not close enough to lend that real ‘hands on’ practical support. I think GoFundMe definitely has its place. I would have donated if asked by any other means, but this is an effective way of doing it.

Marie Curie nurses were wonderful when my dad was end of life. I have heard some unpleasant things about MacMillan.

I don’t donate to GFM. Not for anyone.

There are always GFM appeals popping up on social media by relatives of someone who has gone abroad with no medical insurance or who have omitted to declare pre-existing conditions.

"Shirley didnt realise she had declare her lung condition and is now in a coma in Egypt. Please help us to get her home"

I dont really see much go fund me to be honest. This year its been quite a few, poor lad was run over and ended up in hospital in Thailand (from the town i live) he sadly passed away,family had to bring him home to scotland 😢.someone else suddenly passed away (same local area). I have donated to at least 5 including the 2 mentioned, only because I know its going to help the families. If I didn't know them,then I would be quite sceptical 🕵️‍♀️.