Is a charity collecting donations for sick children on social media legitimate?
Possibly — but charity impersonation and crowdfunding fraud are common. Verify any charity's registration before donating.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Social media fundraising pages for sick children evoke genuine compassion and are frequently used by scammers. Fake pages clone photos from real families — sometimes taken without consent — and siphon donations to personal accounts. Some use real charity logos without being affiliated. Crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe verify some campaigns but cannot guarantee all are authentic. Always check that the campaign links to a registered charity, that the charity can be found on an official register (Charity Commission, GuideStar, ACNC), and that the campaign was not recently created with no prior history on the platform.
Common red flags
- Campaign page created very recently with no prior activity
- Donations go to a personal PayPal, Venmo, or bank account rather than a registered charity
- No connection to a verifiable hospital, care organisation, or registered charity
- Requests for gift cards or crypto rather than direct donations
What to do now
- Search the charity's name on an official register before donating
- Donate directly to the verified charity rather than through a social media link
- Report suspicious campaigns to the crowdfunding platform
- If you donated and believe it was fraud, report to your national fraud authority
Frequently asked questions
Are all GoFundMe campaigns for children verified?
GoFundMe verifies payment methods but cannot guarantee all campaigns are genuine. Always check independently and prefer donating to a named registered charity.