$745K returned to donors after GoFundMe says elderly couple’s daughter made up neighbor’s identity

GoFundMe refunds $745,000 to donors following discovery that viral campaign was fabricated

More than $745,000 has been returned to donors after GoFundMe removed a viral fundraiser for an elderly couple in The Colony.

GoFundMe says the woman who organized the fundraiser claimed to be a neighbor named “Erin Howell.” The organizer’s real name is Amy Johnson.

GoFundMe says that Johnson told the team she believed her parents’ story would be more compelling if told from a stranger’s point of view. 

Johnson maintains that all other parts of Don and Josephine’s story are true.

In a recently posted Tik Tok, Johnson claims the footage of her father struggling to carry luggage up the staircase was sent from a neighbor’s door cam. However, GoFundMe stated that she admitted to filming the video herself.

FOX 4 has reached out to Johnson and requested to see documentation from the family, but we have not heard back from her.

THE COLONY, Texas – A viral GoFundMe campaign created to help an elderly man with his wife’s medical bills was removed by the platform after they discovered that the organizer, who claimed to be a neighbor, was in fact his daughter.

What we know:

In a statement, GoFundMe said they received a tip on Sept. 25 questioning the identity of the woman running the campaign, who had identified herself only as a neighbor named “Erin Howell.” 

The company’s Trust & Safety team opened an investigation and called “Howell” on a recorded line. When asked directly whether Don and Josephine were her parents, she confirmed they are, and admitted her true identity is Amy Johnson.

Johnson told the GoFundMe team she believed her parents’ story would be more compelling if told from a stranger’s point of view. 

Editor’s Note: The social media video below was posted before GoFundMe announced their investigation. 

What parts of Amy Johnson’s story are true?

In a video posted to TikTok, Johnson claims the footage of her father struggling to carry luggage up the staircase was sent from a neighbor’s door cam. However, GoFundMe stated that she admitted on the recorded call that she filmed the video herself.

Johnson maintains that all other parts of Don and Josephine’s story are true. 

In a TikTok video, she says they have documentation to prove that Don delivers luggage and that Josephine has cancer. FOX 4 has reached out to Johnson and requested to see that documentation from the family, but we have not heard back from her.

The backstory:

Johnson, a resident of The Colony, launched the campaign to assist her 81-year-old father, Donald. Donald had allegedly been working delivering lost luggage to help cover medical expenses for Josephine, his wife of 57 years, who is fighting cancer. 

The campaign was initially created under the pretense of a neighbor noticing Donald struggling to deliver luggage to her home.

Why you should care:

Lying about your identity on GoFundMe is a direct violation of the platform’s Terms of Service. Specifically, sections 6.1, 8.2, and 9.8 prohibit fundraisers that are “fraudulent, misleading, inaccurate, or dishonest,” and ban impersonating or otherwise misrepresenting your affiliation with any person or entity. 

Upon removal of the fundraiser, these terms and violations were documented in an email to the organizer.

Because of that violation, GoFundMe removed the fundraiser and refunded all donors the more than $745,000 that had been contributed.