JustGiving Crowdfunding Safety Tips
We’ve put together some tips to answer your questions about safety and security when crowdfunding on JustGiving – the world’s most trusted platform for giving.
I’m a donor
Protecting your donation is our main priority.
You can be assured that donating through JustGiving is both easy and safe. Here’s why:
The way we store card details is completely secure. We comply with Payment Card Industry standards.
We keep your data super safe. We never sell on your data to anyone – ever. We are fully compliant with the Data Protection Act and GDPR.
Until the page owner has successfully passed our identity checks, no funds are released.
We verify page owners identities against publicly available data to check for previous instances of fraud, money-laundering, criminal activity and to ensure that they are not politically exposed.
Before donating to a Crowdfunding Page, here are a few things for you to think about:
Do you know the person who has set up the Page?
Lots of people give to pages that support people or projects in their community. If you don’t know the person who has set up the page, you should make sure that the page is clear about what the funds are going to be used for and how. You should also check if the page owner is regularly updating supporters in the ‘updates’ section.
Have you contacted the person who has started the Page?
Ultimately, this is the person who will receive your donation. Every JustGiving page has a button to allow you to contact the Crowdfunder via email. If you have questions about how the funds raised will be used, it’s best to contact the Crowdfunder directly in the first instance.
Does the page owner have a fundraising bio?
This section of the page allows you to learn more about the fundraiser – who they are and why they decided to crowdfund for the cause they care about. Having a better understanding of the page owner can help you make an informed decision about the authenticity of the cause.
Has the story/cause appeared in the news?
This isn’t fool proof but does show some credibility.
Does the story on the page ring true?
Lots of us get a feeling when something isn’t quite right, if this is the case – you could research the cause and/or the name of the person who started the page.
If you’ve followed these steps and have seen a serious indication that a page could be fraudulent, contact us – we have a team dedicated to ensuring that pages on our site do not breach our Terms of Service.
I’m a Crowdfunder
It’s quick and simple to create a Crowdfunding page on JustGiving.
Remember that by doing so, you agree that all the funds raised will be used for the purposes set out on the page. We’ve put together some useful safety tips for you to read before running a Crowdfunding campaign:
Be transparent
A clear story is key to a successful campaign. Make sure you include:
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Who you are
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What’s the problem you’re trying to solve
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Why you care about the cause
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How the funds will be spent
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When supporters will see the funds raised in action
Make use of your fundraiser bio
Clear but simple biographical information can make all the difference when it comes to giving your campaign credibility. Naturally, supporters are more likely to give to a campaign they trust. We also include a contact button to allow your supporters to get in touch with you and ask any questions they might have.
Keep your supporters updated
If there are any developments or changes to the way you plan to use the funds, make sure you post an update so that your existing supporters and potential new supporters are aware.
Protect yourself
Whilst it’s important to give potential supporters some background information about you remember to keep your information safe. We don’t advise posting personal information such as bank details on your page.
Get verified
Add your bank details and get verified in a few steps.
When adding bank details, you’ll be asked to provide some personal information, so we can run an identity check before funds can be transferred.
Upload your own image
If possible, use your own image – one that clearly relates to your project. This is more likely to help your supporters connect to the cause.