A daughter in Texas created a false identity as a caring neighbor to support her elderly father, Donald Johnson, who had gained attention as a delivery driver. He was trying to raise funds for his wife Josephine’s cancer treatment, ending up collecting over $700,000 before the campaign was halted due to inaccuracies.
GoFundMe removed the fundraising page after receiving a tip on September 25 that questioned the campaign’s authenticity, as reported by NewsNation. Their Trust & Safety team found that the organizer, who went by the name “Erin Howell,” was actually Amy Johnson, the couple’s daughter.
GoFundMe explained to NewsNation that the identified misrepresentations violated their Terms of Service. It appears Amy thought her parents’ story might resonate better with potential donors if it was told through the eyes of someone unrelated to the family.
Amy claimed that she obtained doorbell camera footage from a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous and insisted the video, along with her father’s job and her mother’s cancer diagnosis, were all genuine. She had used her existing GoFundMe account but altered the username for the campaign.
However, GoFundMe stated that misrepresenting the identity of the fundraiser organizer goes against its rules, regardless of the intent behind it. Consequently, they deactivated the fundraiser and issued refunds to all donors, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining a safe and trustworthy environment for charitable contributions.
The fundraiser, which started on September 2, had attracted significant donations before being shut down. Home security footage previously showed Johnson delivering lost luggage in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, surprising the recipients.
At 81, Johnson has been working as an independent contractor for three years, delivering lost luggage after his wife was diagnosed with aggressive pancreatic cancer, as mentioned by the family. He works long hours, sometimes up to 14 hours a day, and travels extensively, despite his car facing mechanical issues.
After the initial fundraiser was removed, Amy initiated a new campaign on GiveSendGo, where she addressed the situation directly. “My mom has pancreatic cancer. The bills are high. My dad is 81 and still works delivering luggage so they can stay afloat,” she wrote, affirming the authenticity of their situation.
Amy acknowledged the prior GoFundMe page had been set up under her account due to its established status, believing it was the easiest route for fundraising. She explained the confusion over the name change which led to the discrepancies that GoFundMe flagged.
Despite the hurdles, she maintained that her mother’s illness and her father’s employment situation were unchanged, and they still needed assistance. “We started over on a new page so your support can actually reach them this time,” she expressed, thanking those who had already contributed.
As of Monday, the new GiveSendGo fundraiser had raised over $45,000 towards its $100,000 goal.
