Fake GoFundMe page collected $15K for phony Rochester Hills splash pad victims
Susan TomporThe late Saturday afternoon shooting that left nine people injured at a Rochester Hills splash pad has not gone unnoticed by scammers who thrive on phony fundraisers.
One fake GoFundMe page, which has since been shut down, collected more than $15,000 on behalf of Kyle J. Thompson, his pregnant wife and children, who claimed to be a victim of the shooting, according to a Sunday alert by Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
"Neither he nor his family were victims," according to the news release issued by Bouchard's office. Bouchard called that site a "complete fraud."
“These bottom-feeding scumbags are preying off this tragedy,” Bouchard said in the news release. “They have already shown their character."
At a 2 p.m. news conference Monday, Bouchard said the money collected through the fake GoFundMe account was not dispersed to the scammers and that money was returned to donors.
Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett, also at the news conference, said a community fundraising effort will be listed at the city's webpage and handled through the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester. See www.rochesterhills.org.
More:Mother, sons critically injured in Rochester Hills splash pad shooting in stable condition
The headline of the fake GoFundMe page was titled "Donate to Help The Thompson Family Heal After Tragic Michigan Shooting, organized by Kyle Thompson."
As of Sunday, Bouchard said the sheriff's office was unaware of any legitimate charity collecting donations for the families of the shooting victims. But that changed as of Monday with some sites being verified.
"I encourage anyone interested in donating to check with the Sheriff’s Office first. If there are legitimate sites, we will let the public know.” Information on verified GoFundMe efforts is at oakgov.com/government/sheriff.
A GoFundMe account was created by friends of victims in the Coughlin family and verified by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. By Monday morning, more than $64,000 was raised out of an $80,000 goal, according to the GoFundMe page called "Help the Coughlin Family Recover."
More:Couple hit by gunfire as they shielded daughters in Rochester Hills splash pad shooting
Micayla and Eric Coughlin, of Rochester Hills, took their 2-year-old daughter and their 7-month-old daughter to the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad on Saturday, according to the account. They "were not even there for a minute when Micayla and Eric heard gunfire" and rushed save their children.
The GoFundMe account stated: "In total, Micayla and Eric sustained 7 gunshot wounds. They are hospitalized and undergoing necessary treatment. Because of their heroic actions, their children were protected and able to go home that evening. Micayla and Eric face a long and unknown recovery from this unthinkable tragedy."
Another fundraising page for three victims of Saturday's splash pad shooting in Rochester Hills identified as members of the Bebout family also has been created and verified by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
The mother and her two sons were three of the victims directly involved and critically injured in the shooting, said Tiffany Holcomb, the boys' aunt, who created the page on the GoFundMe website.
The GoFundMe Trust & Safety team verified a Coughlin family fundraiser, according to a GoFundMe spokesperson on Monday, but said the team was in the process Monday morning of reviewing the "Help Support the Bebout family" fundraiser and will work with the organizer to ensure the money is transferred to the right place.
“Our hearts go out to the Rochester Hills community and to all of those affected by this senseless tragedy," the spokesperson emailed the Free Press early Monday afternoon.
"At GoFundMe, being a safe and trusted place to give and receive help is our top priority. GoFundMe has zero tolerance for the misuse of our platform and those who seek to take advantage of the generosity of the community."
GoFundMe removed the Kyle J. Thompson fundraiser from the platform. "None of the funds were released to the fundraiser organizer, and all donors have been refunded," the spokesperson said.
"We will cooperate with law enforcement investigations of those accused of wrongdoing. The GoFundMe Giving Guarantee protects donors by guaranteeing a full refund in the rare case something isn’t right.”
As part of the verification process, GoFundMe did not give any access to money raised at any point to the Kyle J. Thompson fundraiser organizer.
When suspicious activity is flagged, the company said, its experts immediately investigate concerns. Sometimes, a fundraiser comes into question simply because it is gaining so much momentum.
If additional information is needed to complete the verification review, the company said, its team places a hold on a fundraiser, which prevents funds from being withdrawn pending further review. "In the rare instances of misuse of our platform, our team takes swift action, including outright removal of the fundraiser and even banning an account for violating our terms of service, as we have done in this case," the company said.
Unfortunately, a tragedy or natural disaster can bring out the worst in humanity, as well as the best. Those with charitable hearts must take extra care before giving. Key tips to consider:
Facebook scams: Well-versed con artists know how to gain access to a legitimate Facebook account, change the password and set up a phony online fundraising campaign to raise thousands of dollars for themselves, not the victims. In one case a few years ago, a crook impersonated a Troy man on Facebook and posted that the man needed to raise money for medical bills. The real man didn't have cancer; he only learned about the fake post when he sister called him to ask what was wrong. The scammer had already accumulated $1,785 out of a $4,500 goal by the time the man discovered the terrible fraud, according to a report filed in 2021 with the Troy Police Department.
Be careful what you share: Many times, a social media post might not be legitimate and hyperlinks are not accurate, according to an alert by the Federal Trade Commission about potential fraud related to fundraising platforms. "If a friend posted, shared, or 'liked' the request on social media, contact your friend offline," the FTC warns. "Ask what they know about the post."
Use caution with crowdfunding sites. "Keep in mind that some crowdfunding sites take precautions in carefully screening, vetting, and managing postings, while others might not," according to a warning from the Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Michigan & the Upper Peninsula. Take time to understand how a crowdfunding site works. "If the post claims to pass collected funds to a charity," the BBB said, "consider cutting out the intermediary and visiting the charity's website directly."
Study the wording of an appeal: "Watch out for vague appeals that do not identify the intended use of funds," the BBB warns. How will the donation help the family? When will the money be used and how? Who is making the appeal for the money?
Think before you click on a link: Avoid the urge to immediately click on links to unfamiliar charity websites or those links included in text messages or emails. "These may take you to a look-alike website where you will be asked to provide personal financial information or may download harmful malware onto your computer," the BBB warns. "Do not assume that charity recommendations on social media have already been vetted."
Be skeptical: Mass shootings, hurricanes, local fires, and other disasters all can be used by scammers to create phony fundraising efforts. “Most GoFundMe pages are legit and well-intentioned, but, unfortunately there have been instances where bad actors have taken advantage of the systems," said Amy Nofziger, director of victim support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
Watch out for someone who claims to have direct ties to the recipient but does not have many followers or friends in common, she said. "Also watch out for any organizer that doesn’t respond to any questions you might email them," Nofziger said. Do an online search to see whether the information checks out.
"You do not want your money to go to a criminal stealing on behalf of a person in need," she said.
Report scams: If you spot a fundraising scam, report it to the platform. GoFundMe has a link on its site to submit a donor claim if you believe you've been scammed. GoFundMe also encourage consumers to "message the organizer by clicking 'Contact' next to their name to ask for more information" about a fundraiser before giving any money. And you can report a fake fundraiser online at GoFundMe.com. The GoFundMe platform is backed by a GoFundMe guarantee, the company says online, which means funds are guaranteed to go to the right place or the consumer will get a refund.
"We guarantee you a full refund in the rare case something isn’t right. Whether you donate to a fundraiser for a person or a nonprofit, you’re protected," the site states.
Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompor: stompor@freepress.com. Follow her on X (Twitter) @tompor. Free Press staff writers Andrea May Sahouri, Kylie Martin and Jennifer Dixon contributed.