ONLINE FUNDRAISERS HAVE become an increasingly familiar response to tragic and major news events in Ireland – particularly ones in which people die or have been seriously injured.

In recent days, a six-figure sum has been raised through the platform GoFundMe for the family seriously injured in a crash on the M9 when they crashed into another vehicle driving the wrong way down the motorway.

They are sisters Alma and Niamh Kinsella, aged in their 30s, their younger sister Ellie Hendricken, who is in her 20s, and their seven-year-old nephew.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen this phenomenon: similar fundraisers were set up in the wake of the Dublin riots in 2023 and for the families of students killed in a road crash in Carlow last year.

The huge sums involved raise the question about how fundraising platforms ensure the money actually ends up in the right hands.

How do online fundraising platforms work?

The process is pretty straightforward: any person can set up a fundraising page on a platform like GoFundMe and donors can contribute by paying online.

A person can set up a page for themselves, or for someone else who they intend as the recipient – as happened with the M9 fundraiser this week and others referenced above.

Usually the person who sets up the page will set a specific target for funding, though donations can continue once this has been surpassed, until donations have been paused.

But donations do not immediately go to the person who set up the fundraiser or to the recipient: it’s usually held by the fundraising platform first while checks are carried out, before then being transferred to a verified bank account.

GoFundMe in particular has outlined how it works with people who set up fundraisers and get in touch with the intended recipients to ensure the money can go to them.

What stops someone setting up a fake fundraiser?

If a person creates a fundraising page for a named cause, that alone does not simply mean they can withdraw the funds once a target has been reached or surpassed.

On GoFundMe, the platform requires people to submit banking and personal information, and it may also request additional information and documents to verify a recipient’s identity and bank account.

The company also says it monitors its platform for potentially suspicious fundraisers, and that it may review certain campaigns before it decides to release funds.

That becomes especially important when a fundraiser attracts large amounts of money.

In the case of the M9 fundraiser, it’s understood that GoFundMe is in contact with the organiser and remains in control of money to ensure that the donations go to the four family members who’ve been affected.

What if a fundraiser is misleading or the money doesn’t go where it was promised?

However, even when certain checks are completed, there is no guarantee that verification means that GoFundMe has independently established that every statement made by an organiser is true.

The company’s terms state that it is not responsible for verifying all information appearing on fundraisers or guaranteeing that donations will be spent in accordance with their stated purpose.

If you’ve given money to a fundraiser and believe it’s misleading or that your money has been misused, you can report it for investigation.

GoFundMe’s trust and safety team can then investigate a claim and determine whether donations were misused or if they did not reach their intended beneficiary.

If that’s the case, donors may be entitled to get their money back.

What should you check before donating?

There are always some basic checks that you should carry out on your own before donating to an online fundraiser.

GoFundMe advises people to look at the person who organised the fundraiser, their relationship to the beneficiary, what the money is intended to pay for and how it will reach the person concerned.

Things like updates from the organiser, links from trusted sources and some kind of confirmation or comment from the intended recipient can also help to establish whether a fundraiser is credible.

If something appears misleading or suspicious, the fundraiser can be reported to GoFundMe.