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Right, so GoFundMe doesn't really care if the accounts are fraudulant or not. They are still making their money.
Kind of reminds me of Western Union. Scammers get the elderly and unknowing victims to send money thru Western Union (large amounts of money) and you have to wonder if WU is looking the other way.... They charge a fee depending on the amount.
GoFundMe works for the scammers who claim to be family members because it works for them and they get money. Just like every other scam. Another new abuser is LetitGo, where you sell something, much like craigslist. Scammers are responding to LetitGo and creating fake ads or sending large checks for small purchases and asking the victim to send the difference.
The moral of the story: If there is a way scammers can rip off people, they will do it.
My apologies Steve! I should have said "That attitude" instead of "your attitude" I know you are a good guy and that's what I really meant. I didn't mean for it to come across as a personal attack. I tend to judge people and I know it's wrong and I've learned that people in bad situations are not always at fault.
No worries az, thanks for clarifying. I know you're a good guy too/was a bit surprised at the word placement but understand the word or two in a different place can certainly change the meaning 180.
Yes, and realistically, I have done the same/judge people/a situation but always try to step back when I catch myself doing it but I'm far from perfect, that's for sure. I think every person on the planet judges others/has done such a thing. Part of being human I think.
I remember perusing the internet, and this was not a go-fund-me but it was another website where you could give your sob story or your story about what you want to do, and you ask people to donate. usually it was sob stories. but some of them were teens looking to get someone to pay their bills. I cannot remember what the name was, but they are out there. be careful.
Yes, we can ignore it of course, not participate it, etc., that's obvious and many people here choose to stay out of it while some participate in it. But given CD is an opinion forum where each one of us can express how we feel about something, well, here we are expressing our views as you are.
As for you not understanding the "aversion to gofundme", for me, I tow my own line in life and don't expect/want anything financially from people in such a way and therefore the whole thing seems like modern day begging to me. It's not right on many levels to the way I was brought up to be independent. For people who are really poor in this nation, safety nets exists like medicaid, food stamps, etc. And if I want a funeral and can't afford it, I don't think it's right to hit up strangers for the $.....cremation is a much more affordable option. We can't get everything we want in life and aren't entitled to it and shouldn't go to a digital medium and beg for it is my bottom line in all of this. I'm just not that special/entitled though it appears others feel differently.
But yes, in the end end, if people want to give/take using gofundme, it's a free country, more power to them. I just see it as vain and don't want any part of it on either side.
That's all well and fine and I hope that you never find yourself in a situation where you are unable to pay for something you truly need.
I have contributed to 2 GFM campaigns, both to cover medical expenses for someone I knew. Even when people have insurance their co-pays may be 20-30% of the bill which can be tens of thousands of dollars. Unpaid medical expenses are the biggest contributor to consumer bankruptcies. If I can help out someone I know in those circumstances I'm happy to do it. GFM makes it easy.
In neither case I mentioned did the person who needed the money start the GFM page. Rather, they were started by a mutual acquaintance.
I certainly didn't see either request as vain and I don't think of surgery and chemotherapy as a "want."
That's all well and fine and I hope that you never find yourself in a situation where you are unable to pay for something you truly need.
I have contributed to 2 GFM campaigns, both to cover medical expenses for someone I knew. Even when people have insurance their co-pays may be 20-30% of the bill which can be tens of thousands of dollars. Unpaid medical expenses are the biggest contributor to consumer bankruptcies. If I can help out someone I know in those circumstances I'm happy to do it. GFM makes it easy.
In neither case I mentioned did the person who needed the money start the GFM page. Rather, they were started by a mutual acquaintance.
I certainly didn't see either request as vain and I don't think of surgery and chemotherapy as a "want."
Amen!!! Two GFM I contributed too were for people I knew with cancer. Even with insurance the co pays for chemo can be crippling for a normal family.
To people complaining it's very simple, scroll on by and don't donate.
Count me as one that generally dislikes GFM - maybe because it's EVERYWHERE? I can't seem to see a story or a news article without a GFM link attached.
I see some set it up for funeral expenses say, for a father. I dunno, if you have kids shouldn't you make sure you can afford your own funeral? Or even not, have a plan in place. To me, it's responsibility esp if you decide to have a family. Not many have emergency funds - I know it's partly due to the economy, but people these days want vacations, McMansions, cars, etc - not savings and funeral plans.
I worked at a utililty company and 100s of customers calling because they were months behind on paying the water bill. They'd call us from Disney on vacation, eating out at a restaurant, or a casino of all things!
I know not everyone is like this, but I've seen it day in and day out for a long time. People don't want to pay bills and save, they want what they want, and they want it NOW.
But I get it - ppl fall on hard times.
Most of what I see are just lazy people who want a hand out.
I don't think it's right to ask strangers to fund your vacation just because you work hard and haven't had one.
Maybe it's the era I grew up in - you work and earn it yourself, "hard times" or not. Can't afford it? Too bad. You are not "entitled" to a new laptop or vacation or new car or what not.
Medical stuff, sure. But when my husband was diagnosed with cancer, and couldn't work... instead of GFM we cut back on our expenses and I worked overtime. I just can't imagine doing GFM.
And to heck with the scammers profiting from other that peoples' misfortunes.
I see.
Well if you contribute to a GFM for someone you don't know or don't research one for a stranger, then who is the fool???
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I know you're a good guy too/was a bit surprised at the word placement but understand the word or two in a different place can certainly change the meaning 180. 
