Honestly, I don't feel at all comfortable with donating directly to an individual unless I know them, or maybe if someone I know well knows and vouches for them.
But it doesn't surprise me that the ratio of scam to legitimate is a bad one.
I do understand the desire to help. And when that help is individual, it can feel like more - donating to a food bank, you may help more people in small ways, but usually you don't see how and who YOUR donation helped specifically. Donating to an individual feels like you make a more tangible difference. Mutual aid is great! I do get it!
But unfortunately, an awful lot of the scammers are savvy enough to find exactly the right heartstrings to tug on for their target community. Is this on behalf of a sick kid? A down-on-their-luck veteran? A trans teen just kicked out of their abusive home? Someone with just the right blend of intersectional marginalizations to make you feel extra good about donating?
All of those can be perfectly legitimate causes, and people who need help! And people I want to help! But scammers know that very, very well.
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But it doesn't surprise me that the ratio of scam to legitimate is a bad one.
I do understand the desire to help. And when that help is individual, it can feel like more - donating to a food bank, you may help more people in small ways, but usually you don't see how and who YOUR donation helped specifically. Donating to an individual feels like you make a more tangible difference. Mutual aid is great! I do get it!
But unfortunately, an awful lot of the scammers are savvy enough to find exactly the right heartstrings to tug on for their target community. Is this on behalf of a sick kid? A down-on-their-luck veteran? A trans teen just kicked out of their abusive home? Someone with just the right blend of intersectional marginalizations to make you feel extra good about donating?
All of those can be perfectly legitimate causes, and people who need help! And people I want to help! But scammers know that very, very well.