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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 24, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: AI ( 31 ), charity scam ( 43 ), donation scam, natural disasters ( 25 ), Scams ( 1,616 ), tragedy   

  AI Charity Scams Exploiting Tragedy 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Every disaster sparks generosity, and fraudsters are now using AI to cash in on it.

  A Cause You Care About and a Lie You Never Saw Coming:

  When a wildfire, earthquake, or school tragedy hits, people instinctively want to help. Within hours, social media floods with donation links, emotional photos, and urgent calls to “act now.” But not all of them are real.

  Investigators are warning of a sharp rise in AI-generated charity scams, where fraudsters use fake photos, cloned victim stories, and synthetic testimonials to create convincing donation pages that exploit public empathy.

  According to the Federal Trade Commission, charity-related scams surged by 68% in 2025, with many traced to fraudulent GoFundMe pages, cloned nonprofit websites, and even deepfake videos of “aid workers” asking for funds.

  What’s Going On:

  1. A tragedy trends online. Within minutes, scammers generate AI-created images of crying children, destroyed homes, or hospital scenes.
  2. Fake donation pages go live. These pages use realistic nonprofit branding or names like “United Earth Relief” or “KidsFirst Global,” none of which actually exist.
  3. Emotion and urgency drive action. People donate small amounts ($10–$50), which quickly add up to millions across multiple fake campaigns.
  4. Funds disappear. The scammers close the page within 72 hours and move the money through cryptocurrency or international accounts.
  5. Reputational fallout. Real charities suffer when donors stop trusting online fundraising entirely.

  Some fraudsters are even using AI voice cloning to pose as known charity representatives or local news anchors, giving “updates” on aid efforts that never happened.

  Why It Works:

  • Emotional manipulation: Disasters evoke strong empathy and urgency—people donate before verifying.
  • AI realism: Synthetic photos and deepfake videos are now indistinguishable from real footage.
  • Small donation psychology: Scammers keep requests low ($5–$25) to avoid suspicion.
  • Platform trust: Many assume popular crowdfunding sites fully verify campaigns, which isn’t always true.
  • Instant payment tools: Apps like Cash App, Venmo, and crypto wallets make donations fast and irreversible.

  Red Flags:

  • Donation links shared through new or unverified accounts that just joined social platforms.
  • Fundraiser names that sound generic or global, rather than tied to a local group.
  • Emotional imagery that feels overly dramatic or AI-rendered (too perfect lighting, distorted hands, repeated faces).
  • No clear information about how the funds will be used or who runs the campaign.
  • Requests for cryptocurrency, gift cards, or direct transfers instead of secure charity processors.

  Quick Tip: Before donating, look up the charity’s name at CharityNavigator.org or through the IRS nonprofit registry. If you can’t find them, they’re not real.

  What You Can Do:

  • Give through known organizations. Stick with the Red Cross, UNICEF, or established local groups.
  • Check the domain name. Real charities rarely use domains like “.co” or “.shop.”
  • Don’t rely on photos alone. AI can fabricate entire disaster scenes; check for news coverage or official confirmation.
  • Be skeptical of “viral” fundraisers. Especially if they spread rapidly on TikTok, Telegram, or Facebook within hours of a tragedy.
  • Report fake fundraisers. Use in-app reporting tools or notify the FTC and the platform hosting the campaign.

  If You’ve Been Targeted:

  1. Contact your bank or card provider to dispute unauthorized donations.
  2. Report the page to the hosting platform (GoFundMe, PayPal Giving, etc.).
  3. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
  4. Post a warning in community forums or local groups to alert others.
  5. Keep documentation (links, screenshots, receipts)—it helps authorities trace funds.

  Final Thoughts:

  AI isn’t just transforming technology; it’s reshaping fraud. Scammers no longer need real victims to profit from tragedy; they can create them out of pixels and prompts.

  In the chaos of a crisis, the best gift you can give is a moment of pause. Verify before you give. Real aid starts with real accountability.

  Further Reading:

  • Charity Scams After Disasters—Federal Trade Commission
  • Recognizing Online Fraud Schemes—GoFundMe Support
  • Wired: Deepfakes, AI, and Digital Fraud
   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on September 16, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: donation scam, funeral home scam ( 8 ), impersonation scam ( 199 ), Scams ( 1,616 )   

  Scammers Target Families with Funeral Scams 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Recently, two separate incidents have highlighted a disturbing trend: scammers are targeting grieving families, preying on their vulnerability during times of profound loss. These scams, which involve either phone calls or fake social media accounts, have surfaced in different parts of the country, exploiting the emotional weight of funeral arrangements to steal money.

  In one case, a fake Facebook account was created in the name of a recently deceased Georgia police officer, falsely offering a livestream of the funeral service and soliciting donations. Investigators believe the scammer gathered information from the funeral home’s website to make the fraudulent account seem legitimate.

  Another scam involved phone calls to families in Alabama who had recently lost a loved one. Posing as representatives of a funeral home, the callers demanded payment for services. In one instance, the scammer almost managed to steal a large sum before the family became suspicious and contacted the funeral home. Fortunately, no money was lost in this case, but the situation underscores the importance of vigilance during emotionally difficult times.

  These incidents reveal how scammers manipulate personal information easily accessible online to exploit grieving families. Funeral homes have been quick to respond, ensuring that their clients know they will never request payment by phone or through social media. Unfortunately, tracking the culprits behind these scams is difficult, particularly when the calls or accounts originate from outside the country.

  Families dealing with loss are encouraged to be cautious and report any suspicious activity to authorities immediately. Funeral homes are also reminding families to verify any communication they receive related to payments and to rely on established, secure methods for handling financial transactions.

  These scams are not only financially damaging, but also emotionally devastating for families already coping with profound grief. It is essential to raise awareness about this troubling trend and to help protect those who may be at risk.