KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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Elsa McGrain's father, Jordan McGrain, said he was aware fake fundraisers were made following his daughter's hit-and-run death on Nov. 6.
Elsa McGrain was a 20-year-old University of Kansas student who was hit by a car and killed while out for a run on the evening of Nov. 6 in Douglas County.
KSHB 41 News received a message through our tip email on Monday from someone claiming to be Anna McGrain, Elsa's mom. They sent a Give A Hand fundraiser link said to be for Elsa McGrain's funeral.
I immediately noticed some red flags.
The fundraiser description had sentences such as, "According to authorities, the incident occurred in Lawrence, Kansas." It seemed more robotic than something a loved one would write.
The fundraiser also listed the McGrain family as being based in Elkorn City, Kentucky. I had already gathered information that told me her family lives in Elkhorn, Nebraska.
I reached out to Elsa McGrain's great-aunt, Nancy Chartrand. She told me the scam was not made by the family.
“When I see that, I’m less angry at whoever that is as concerned that there is an elderly family member or just someone who is unaware," she said.
Chartrand later sent me a GoFundMe created by the McGrain family's community to honor the 20-year-old's legacy.
“This is not a funeral costs fund, this is going directly to Elsa’s memory and legacy," Jordan McGrain said.
A GoFundMe spokesperson provided me with four tips to share with donors so they can make sure they're donating to the right place:
- Make sure the fundraiser has a title, picture and description that match.
- Look to see if the organizer has explained what they'll do with the donations.
- Check how the organizer of the fund is connected to the cause.
- Review the donations and the comments. Are people closely related to the cause donating and leaving thoughtful comments?
GoFundMe also takes several steps to confirm an organizer is connected with the person or family the donations are intended for.
"Proceeds will support the Elsa McGrain Legacy Fund, dedicated to continuing her impact through acts of care and opportunity in her name," the GoFundMe created in honor of Elsa McGrain reads.
Both GoFundMe and Give A Hand websites have the option for users to report fundraisers.
Sometime after Monday evening, Give A Hand suspended the fundraiser. By then, it had raised over $200.
By Thursday afternoon, the webpage was completely removed from its website.
I reached out to Give A Hand with questions surrounding the fundraiser and have not yet heard back.
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