How do I know a fundraiser is real?
Check who the organiser is, who receives the money, whether the page is verified and whether there are updates. If you are unsure, ask the organiser a question or give to a known charity instead.
Fundraising guide
How to donate safely and avoid fundraising scams
Most fundraisers are genuine, but scammers copy real stories, especially after disasters. A few quick checks make it much less likely that your donation goes to the wrong place.
Written and reviewed by the Good Cause team at Webfit Solutions Limited · Updated 29 September 2026 · About Good Cause
Before you donate, check
Take a minute to look at who is asking and who receives the money.
- Who is the organiser, and how do they know the person being helped?
- Who receives the money? A named beneficiary is a good sign.
- Has the fundraiser been reviewed or verified?
- Are there updates showing progress?
- Does the story match what you can find elsewhere, such as news reports?
Warning signs
Be careful with appeals that pressure you to give immediately, ask you to pay into a personal bank account, ask for gift cards or cryptocurrency, or come from a social media account created recently.
Pay the safe way
Give through a secure card checkout on a fundraising platform rather than a direct bank transfer to someone you do not know. Card payments can be disputed if something goes wrong.
If something looks wrong
Report the page to the platform. On Good Cause you can use the Report a concern page, and we can pause a campaign quickly while we look into it. If you have lost money, contact your bank straight away. You can also get advice from Netsafe.
Start your fundraiser
Free to start. Reviewed by a person. The cause receives 97.5% of every donation.
Common questions
What does Good Cause check?
Every campaign is reviewed by a person before donations are enabled, including the fundraiser’s identity, the beneficiary and the bank account.
Related guides
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.