After a night of festive birthday celebrations, Gabby, a 26-year old woman, found herself in the middle of a shocking financial blunder. Following a series of bar visits, she woke up to discover a whopping $360 Uber taxi fare. With her $450 rent payment looming, she found herself short and in a tough spot.
In a desperate bid to cover her rent, Gabby turned to the GoFund.me crowdfunding platform to solicit donations. Defying her expectations, she managed to raise over $500 within the span of 12 hours.
At first glance, this story provokes a question about our relationship with the internet. Do we have a soft spot for harrowing financial hardship tales?
My initial response to this narrative was to hold Uber accountable for this apparent overcharge. I soon discovered that a Halloween rate hike was partly at fault for the steep cost, but the charge still seemed excessive.
Despite that, it’s puzzling that a 26-year-old woman, juggling two restaurant jobs while also working as a freelance journalist, didn’t have a $500 cushion in her savings. So why do we end up endorsing fiscally reckless actions?
While it’s not for me to dictate where you channel your financial aid, we might need to reconsider how we assess the legitimacy of charity cases before we part with our hard-earned money.
Consider the case of a woman from Southland who exploited the sympathies of Facebook users by fraudulently claiming she had cancer. In another instance, a woman deceitfully gained $30,000 for a non-existent cancer treatment, even deceiving her own children aged between 5 and 18.
HOW TO MAKE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS PRUDENTLY
At this juncture, and particularly during the festive season, charitable appeals are omnipresent.
Although they are predominantly genuine, with the primary goal of evoking our empathy, American society’s generosity—where 95.4% of households donate to charity averaging a hearty $2,974—often becomes a target for scams.
We need to scrutinize our donation destinations to ensure we aren’t unwittingly fueling deception, diverting funds away from deserving causes.
Instead of being a blind charity dispenser, we should inspect where our generosity is directed.
Be aware: In the era of social media, stories of need are everywhere. While it’s okay to extend a helping hand, it’s safer to lend assistance to someone you know or trust. Being extra cautious—like never sharing personal bank details—is also essential.
Review your charity: Examine what percentage of your donation actually supports charitable activities and how much is absorbed by administrative costs. Services like GuideStar or a quick Google search could help you uncover questionable practices.
Seek advice: Your close relations might suggest causes they ardently support. This could serve as a good starting point for identifying trustworthy organizations. Always remember to do your own research before revealing your credit card details.
