It isn’t always possible to tell if a campaign is a scam. ConnectionPoint does have fraud protection measures in place to protect our users – however, sometimes illegitimate campaigns will slip through the cracks. We look to the larger community to help us combat these sneaky ones.
Verified Organizations #
The first important thing to note is if you see the campaign running under a Verified organisation, it has been checked by ConnectionPoint and is, therefore, fully trustworthy.
Unverified Organizations and Personal Campaigns. #
Our platforms are designed to allow individuals and organizations to link their web pages, social media accounts, email addresses, and more to hopefully indicate to their communities that the campaign owner is who they say they are.
Of you, our wonderful supporters, we ask this: when you consider contributing to a campaign, ask yourself some questions:
- Do you know the person/organization running the campaign? Can you get in contact with them to confirm it is them?
- Has the owner made posts or messages explaining how the funds they raise will be used? Have they provided proof of using the funds as intended?
- Are there multiple people advocating on behalf of the campaign who directly know the campaign owner (meaning it is not simply online followers).
- Are reports of abuse or fraudulent activity (that you may see on social media posts, news sites, or anywhere off of our platforms) warranted? Or are they simply differences of opinion?
- Does the campaign link to a website, email, social media platform, or any other identifier?
If you suspect a campaign is a scam or fraudulent in any way, please report it to us. Follow the guidelines in this document to ensure speedy action.
Remember, you must provide us with tangible evidence for your suspicions. You may have legitimate reasons for your feelings; however, “I don’t like this person” or “I don’t agree with their actions” are not evidence.