[ SECRET POST #6436 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #6436 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 25 secrets from Secret Submission Post #920.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

06. https://i.imgur.com/pjnbmoP.png

[(Anonymous)]

Ooof.
I've definitely had people on my tumblr dash publish those incredibly sus "I'm in a war region and my family needs money" probably scam asks that are going around like they're not most likely bots and I want to say something every time, but never do just in case (these people are not my friends, who I'd definitely tell/ask if they researched what that random person sent them).

[(Anonymous)]

Oh but don't worry, THIS fundraising post in particular has been vouched by [username you don't recognize] and [username you don't recognize]!

[(Anonymous)]

Also, our source that these users have vetted the fundraiser is the fundraiser.

[(Anonymous)]

I just posted on my tumblr that I can't repost any of those messages that pop up in my asks. Because... yeah, I can't vet them and I don't want anyone to get scammed. Even if I do belive some may be legit.

[(Anonymous)]

If people really wanna be scammed, there's only so much you can do. People have to be able to use their own good sense.

[(Anonymous)]

The best you can do is just not share them yourself, and only share the ones you feel you can trust (if you want).

[(Anonymous)]

ime 95% of fundraisers are scams on some level. I've seen people asking for money for rent when not two weeks earlier they'd posted a photo of the new tattoo they'd just gotten done.

[(Anonymous)]

There's a woman in my fandom who has been asking for money for rent every other month or so for going on three years. She's always this close to having everything figured out, securing that decent job, getting that cheaper apartment -- but if people don't send her money right now she'll be out on her ass and lose everything.

It boggles my mind that people are still rebogging her posts and sending her money.

[(Anonymous)]

Is it a scam if they are genuinely just idiots with money? Like yeah you and I can see the patterns, but people who have no impulse control and are shit with money might just be dummies asking for help. Idk if I'd call that a scam exactly.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, I'd call it scamming if they're not being upfront and honest about the fact that the situation was entirely of their own making. It's one thing if you can't make rent because you got the flu and had to miss two weeks of work or your car's engine died and your cat got sick and so you don't have the money for reasons that aren't your fault at all. It's another thing entirely when you don't have the money because you chose to blow it on completely useless things.

[(Anonymous)]

DA - it sounds like in this case she is being honest about why she doesn't have money and has just managed to find a group of people who are willing to enable her. That's not a scam, just good, old-fashioned mooching.

[(Anonymous)]

I think we've all seen examples of that, unfortunately. There was a woman on a local Facebook group who popped up every couple of months asking for money (with handy dandy Venmo/PayPal, info) for her bills claiming she was trying to escape an abusive boyfriend and she had a young child and pets. People would try to give her info about nonprofit organizations who assist with funds for emergencies and she'd claim oh no, they can't help her, only randos off the internet can save her. With money. Oh, and she needs furniture for her new apartment but only solid, nice antique-looking stuff not junk or plastic or Ikea, and food/toys/crates for her pets because she doesn't want them to suffer, and can anyone give her free stuff to pursue [various hobbies] because she really needs the escapism of a hobby rn for her mental health but has no $$ and oh yeah, free hobby stuff for her kid as well. And more money because her cat is sick and needs help ASAP!

Then next month she'd be posting about the new cat she picked up, on top of all the other pets she can't afford to care for.

[(Anonymous)]

God, there was a woman like that in a fandom I used to be in. Kept begging for money because waaahhh look I have a CHILD and I'm BROKE and I need money for the lawyer I need for the custody battle with the dad. And then she kept buying ridiculously expensive merch for the fandom and kept commissioning porn (drawn and written) with her and her husbando from the show. Which she kept posting on the same account as the pictures of her daughter. All the while bitching at everyone who shipped her husbando with a male character because he wasn't gay!

This lady was a mess and I really hope the ex got custody because she was unhinged.

[(Anonymous)]

Sucks, doesn't it? You contribute and it's a scam, then you're out some money. You refuse to contribute, then you're heartless. Yay. Can't win.

What's important to remember is that you are the one to decide which causes you want to give to. Nobody in the world is able to give to every charity they see. (Except maybe Bezos.)

[(Anonymous)]

There's only so much you can do, especially in spaces where there's a lot of social pressure to be a Good Person, including being helpful and generous. Often, people only start to believe that certain things are scams once either they or someone close to them has been a victim.

I think it's worth it to speak up about it, however, because doing so will definitely stop some people from falling for it. I've found it's helpful to go about it in a way that allows people to save face: "scammers are really sophisticated these days; it's really shameful that they take advantage of our best impulses," things like that.

As for the social consequences, it really sucks to lose people. It hurts. But as cliche as it sounds, someone who would end a friendship with you because you've called out a scam wasn't much of a friend to begin with, and probably isn't the sort of person you want to keep around.

[akacat]

I literally just saw this excellent post on the subject of scam fundraisers. I’m pretty sure it can be seen without being logged in.

https://bsky.app/profile/kikidoodle.bsky.social/post/3l22jbwuemb25

[(Anonymous)]

Confirm that you can see it without an account! Also good info there.

[(Anonymous)]

Uuuugnnn oh yeah baby inject those sweet Kony 2012 memories right into my veins. Fuuuuck yeah.

[(Anonymous)]

??

[(Anonymous)]

NAYRT, but I can't tell if you're unfamiliar with Kony 2012 or just confused by someone bringin it up, but it was this whole campaign by Americans against an Ugandan warlord. It got insane viral support and was, if not an outright scam, misleading and very white saviour-y. They also sold merch.

[(Anonymous)]

If you feel brave enough, you can try warning them to be cautious because there are a LOT of scams that play upon peoples' sympathies like that. Emphasize that there are legit fundraisers, of course, but also a lot of grifters who take advantage of people for their kind hearts and generosity, etc. etc. and that it's a good idea to vet the source before giving money.

But you can't save people who are bound and determined to act stupidly online.

[(Anonymous)]

I block words like donate and donation and block people who try to get around it by using words like d0nate because they're more likely to be a scammer or at least an experienced hustler. And I have given money to people, and would again, but not rando mcrandomface in a war zone or scammy mcscammer who needs it every month.

[(Anonymous)]

Really rhetorically clever of you to not mention The P Word while making this secret. Really rhetorically clever of the commenters, too.