When creating a GoFundMe fundraiser, users are required to agree to the site’s terms of service which, among other things, specifically stipulates that GoFundMe’s services cannot be used for “fraudulent, misleading, inaccurate, dishonest or impossible” fundraisers. But does GoFundMe have any preventative measures in place for vetting fundraisers before potential fraudsters can attempt to bilk donors out of their cash? Undoubtedly, the repercussions for those convicted of defrauding donors are pretty clear - and appropriately harsh. The site also boasts of its “Giving Guarantee,” which guarantees a full refund to the donor when GoFundMe becomes aware that “something isn’t right.”

GoFundMe, meanwhile, claims to have several processes in place to identify fraudulent fundraisers, including an option for fellow users or potential donors to report suspicious or fraudulent activity. Others have also faced jail time, or have been ordered to pay hefty fines or restitution. A man and a woman accused of scheming to defraud GoFundMe donors in 2017, for instance, were recently sentenced to years in jail (5 years and 3 years, respectively) after they crowdfunded over $400,000 based on a lie they cooked up with a homeless veteran, The Hill reported. Prison sentences are not uncommon for those convicted of fraud, either.

In a statement, the company added that such instances of abuse are “rare” on the platform, despite the occasional scammer making national headlines for attempting to defraud GoFundMe donors over the last several years. University student’s cancer scam story goes viral

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