GoFundMe has taken down a fundraiser for an 81-year-old man from Texas, who was raising money to assist with his wife’s cancer treatment. The platform stated that it identified “factual misrepresentations” in the campaign, leading to its removal. This decision underscores the platform’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of its fundraising efforts.
The fundraiser for Donald Johnson of The Colony, Texas, had collected more than $280,000 before it was taken down.
GoFundMe said all donors would receive refunds after its Trust & Safety team reviewed the campaign and determined it violated the platform’s rules. “Our Trust & Safety team identified factual misrepresentations, which directly violates our Terms of Service,” a GoFundMe spokesperson told The Independent . Johnson took the physically demanding job to help cover expenses related to his wife Josephine’s cancer treatment, according to Howell’s fundraiser description. GoFundMe said its decision followed an internal review by its Trust & Safety team.
The company added that maintaining transparency and protecting donors were its priorities. The company did not identify the specific information it considered inaccurate.
