Can anyone point me to posts about "please send money" scams?

[tzikeh]

This can be in fandom or on the 'net in general, but fandom would be more appreciated. Here are the parameters I need:

• The person in question asked for donations, either for themselves or for "a friend"
  
• The situation requiring the donations was eventually proven to be untrue.

It can't be someone who never asked for money, but other people decided to

Comments

[svmadelyn]

The one I got to see first hand wasn't exactly a "send money" type thing, but probably would've evolved to that point - Oh nostalgia!

[tzikeh]

Has to be soliciting money.

[svmadelyn]

Fine, I wasn't sure if the classic Christmas Wish list counted or whatever.

[xebgoc]

have you looked at snopes? and http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/internet/a/current_netlore.htm and http://www.f-secure.com/virus-info/hoax/

they're the three big sites that i can think off the top of my head

[tzikeh]

Those snopes are all "forward this email and X Business will donate X amount of money," and the f-secure ones are about email forwards warning people about computer viruses.

[xebgoc]

here's one from Snopes

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/adults/sheffer.asp

you have to dig around for them, but they are there

[bluetooth16]

Google the Hipster Grifter. There's too many articles about this person to link to just one.

[tzikeh]

Didn't ask for money on the internet.

[bluetooth16]

I thought she had a bullshit PayPal charity thing as well as her IRL scams. Oh well.

[delle]

what about TentMoot, Victoria Bitter, Mr. Frodo, Orangeblossom, Jordan Wood?

Specifically, IIRC, there *was* an internet request for funds when Tentmoot went bust.

[tzikeh]

hm - those are true, but I was looking more for "omg cancer" and the like. I should have specified.

(Totally forgot about TentMoot - oy.)

[delle]

you can check Fandom Wank. Also, remember the girl that was in the hospital (did she lose a baby? or have a car accident?) that wanted lip gloss?

[darthfox]

I don't remember what was wrong with the purported victim in that case, but I believe the lip gloss and glitter pens were requested by a friend rather than by herself. (Unless I'm conflating two instances in my head ...)

[gwyn_r]

There's always the original fannish one on the Internet, which I'm not sure I can even dig up at this point, but went back to that first real Internet fandom, X-Files. Her "brother" posted for her. I'll see if I can find it, it might take me a while.