GoFundMe Refunds $745K After Daughter Falsely Poses as Neighbor for Elderly Parents' Campaign
GoFundMe has removed a viral campaign that raised over $745,000 for an elderly couple's medical bills and is in the process of refunding all donors. The campaign organizer, who identified herself as a neighbor named "Erin Howell," was discovered to be Amy Johnson, the daughter of the beneficiaries, Don and Josephine. GoFundMe's Trust & Safety team initiated an investigation after receiving a tip on September 25 questioning the organizer's identity. During a recorded call, Johnson admitted her true identity and confirmed that Don and Josephine are her parents. She stated that she believed her parents' story would be more compelling if told from a stranger's perspective. Johnson also claimed that a video of her father struggling with luggage was from a neighbor's door cam, but later admitted to filming it herself. The campaign was launched to help 81-year-old Donald cover medical expenses for his wife, Josephine, who is battling cancer, with the narrative that Donald was delivering lost luggage to make ends ...
