In short
A person or page poses as a charitable organization, often around a crisis or emotionally compelling cause The objective is typically to divert donations to the fraudster rather than the claimed cause.
What it is
The appeal presents urgent need and may imitate a known organization or beneficiary. The victim is then pushed to donate through the supplied payment link/account/QR.
How it starts
A person or page poses as a charitable organization, often around a crisis or emotionally compelling cause.
What they tell you
The appeal presents urgent need and may imitate a known organization or beneficiary
What they want you to do
Donate through the supplied payment link/account/QR
How you lose money
divert donations to the fraudster rather than the claimed cause
What happens next
After the first successful step, the fraudster may demand more money/information, deepen account or device access, or disappear.
Warning signs
empathy | urgency | social proof | trust | impersonation | fake donation page
Where this is documented
India — officially documented by an Indian authority/regulator
How to avoid it
Type the merchant/service website yourself or use a trusted app; verify contact details independently and avoid off-platform advance payments to unverified parties.
If it already happened
Contact the bank/payment provider immediately if money moved; report financial cyber fraud promptly via 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in; preserve messages, transaction IDs, phone numbers and URLs.