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Law firm issues warning over fraudulent crowdfunding pages
A Gold Coast law firm has sounded the alarm over recent scams occurring in the state involving fake crowdfunding pages.
Emma Musgrave
Parker Simmonds Solicitors & Lawyers says it has seen a rise in fraudulent crowdfunding pages, whereby people are using them to solicit money for fake medical treatments.
Parker Simmonds Solicitors & Lawyers litigation director Bruce Simmonds said the example is just one of many, with crowdfunding becoming a common feature for people trying to nab money.
“Sadly not all of the appeals [on crowdfunding pages] are genuine and she’s not the first – so a healthy dose of caution is now needed as fraudsters see opportunities to play on the community’s emotions,” Mr Simmonds said.
“Crowd funding can be a useful aid to people genuinely in need of assistance if they cannot pay for something themselves, but unfortunately it is now being used by fraudsters too.
“People who run a fake GoFundMe page to defraud the honest donors need to realise they will be found out and prosecuted.
“For the public, a strong dose of caution is advised if you see one of these pages.”
Emma Musgrave
Emma Musgrave (née Ryan) is the managing editor, professional services at Momentum Media.
Emma has worked for Momentum Media since 2015, including five years spent as the editor of the company's legal brand - Lawyers Weekly. Throughout her time at Momentum, she has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest stories in corporate Australia. In addition, she has produced exclusive multimedia and event content related to the company's respective brands and audiences.
Prior to joining Momentum Media, Emma worked in breakfast radio, delivering news to the Central West region of NSW, before taking on a radio journalist role at Southern Cross Austereo, based in Townsville, North Queensland.
She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree from Charles Sturt University.
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