The Giving Season is Always Open Season for Fraudsters

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According to New Jersey Advance Media, a Burlington County, N.J. man, Mark D’Amico, 42, and his then-girlfriend admitted setting up a GoFundMe page, based on a lie about a helpful homeless man, and ultimately bilked online givers out of $400,000.

Questions:

  1. What did D’Amico and his girlfriend use the money for?
  2. The page said that the fundraiser was for____________________ with a goal of ____________________.
  3. What was the heartwarming story that attracted online donations?
  4. What did the homeless man get from the scam and what did he use it for?
  5. What were D’Amico and his girlfriend charged with?
  6. What is the rest of the story about the money and the homeless man?
  7. What did GoFundMe do about the fraud and how do you think the company accounts for this type of situation?

Source:

Cohen, N.M. (2021) N.J. man pleads guilty in $400K GoFundMe scam involving homeless veteran. NJ.com, Nov. 23 (Retrievable online at https://www.pennlive.com/news/2021/11/nj-man-pleads-guilty-in-400k-gofundme-scam-involving-homeless-veteran.html)

Associated Press Staff (2018). GoFundMe says donors in alleged homeless scam refunded. Dec. 25 (Retrievable online at https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/12/gofundme-says-donors-in-alleged-homeless-scam-refunded.html)

Everett, R. (2018). Prosecutor details greed, backstabbing that he said undid GoFundMe scam by homeless vet, N.J. couple. Nov. 15 (Retrievable online at https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2018/11/prosecutor-details-greed-backstabbing-that-he-said-undid-gofundme-scam-by-homeless-vet-nj-couple.html)