<div><strong>Update: 8/28/2025:</strong>
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<div>Well, back to the drawing board! After 6 months of diligent searching, I was finally offered a job. But then it turned out to be a fraud. They scammed me for $4,950.00, but not in the usual way. <strong>This is not just an update; it's a warning.</strong>
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<div>As far as I knew, I was going to be working as a Data Entry Specialist/Administrative Assistant. Then the "employer" instructed me that the company's "trusted vendor" was going to FedEx a check for the amount, and then I was to do 2 transfers, via Walmart-to-Walmart wire transfer to the person designated, using a debit card. 
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<div>I was uneasy about it all, but complied because the guy told me it was for equipment I would be using on the job. I decided to explain the situation to ChatGPT. The answer was alarming. I initiated a transfer of the legitimate funds remaining into another account.
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<div>I then alerted the bank, who told me the check looked fraudulent. They informed me that our account is restricted, and that I would be responsible for this outrageous balance if the check bounced.
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<div><strong>(My first thought here is, <em>aren't bank tellers trained to detect these things?  </em>I wouldn't have been able to.)</strong>
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<div>Anyway, I then got busy alerting the FTC, IC3, and put an alert on one of the bureaus, who informed me that they would forward to the other two. I confronted the "employer", making him think that I was just curious, but he was leading on that everything was okay, but I was not convinced.
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<div>I watched our account, as I always do, keeping an eye on new developments. Yesterday, a charge back was noted on our account, putting it into the red. The transfer was too late.
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<div>So I went to the bank this morning, and the banker who called was not in, but they said she would be in tomorrow 8/29. The bank policy seems favorable to putting me on the hook for the total $4950.00, but I don't even have a job. This joker played things real sneaky, exploiting the system, and now the system wants to make ME pay. The likelihood of that is HIGH, but I'm not going down without a fight.
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<div><strong>Please, I just want to get $4950.00 to bring the account back in the black, so we can use the legitimate funds, all of which are DONATIONS received from you guys. I hate to do this, but we need immediate help. </strong>
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<div>If you cannot help financially, at the least, please share this campaign, including the latest developments. I'm sorry in advance, but I also thank you in advance for any and all help.
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<div><strong>Update: 8/04/2025:</strong>
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<div>We've decided against relocating at this time, as the financial and logistical challenges were more than we could handle. We deeply appreciate the caring people who offered this idea and their ongoing support.
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<div><strong>Our need for help remains urgent.</strong> Despite a relentless job search over the last six months, my family is still without a steady income, and our savings are dwindling fast. We are pushing forward with hope, but we can't do it alone.
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<div>Your support has brought us this far, and we are so grateful. We are close to our goal, but we still need your help to get there. Please consider making a small donation or sharing our campaign link with your network. Every contribution helps us get through this difficult time.
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<div><strong>Update 7/25/2025:</strong>
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<div><strong>A Plea for a Fresh Start: Help Us Build a New Home</strong>
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<div>The past six months have been incredibly tough, filled with job search frustrations and mounting uncertainty. We've reached a point where starting our own business feels - <strong>maybe</strong> - like the only viable path forward.
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<div>On the plus side, a glimmer of hope has appeared: friends in another state have offered us a basic living space, a chance for a much-needed fresh start to rebuild and find stability.
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<div><strong>The Road Ahead: Why Your Support Matters Now</strong>
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<div>This new space needs essential renovations: a **bathroom** and a **kitchen**. The initial estimate is **$3,400.00**, but we anticipate higher costs. Crucially, we also need to fund a vital trip to the location to finalize plans. Fuel alone will cost around **$400** round trip, plus food. While lodging is covered, these travel expenses are significant.
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<div>We're grateful to all for past donations, but funds are dwindling due to unexpected expenses, like $300 for new tires. Even if we hit our **$5,000.00 goal**, it won't be enough to cover renovations and the necessary trip.
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<div><strong>Your Contribution: A Hand Up to a Brighter Future</strong>
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<div>Our family has helped in leaps and bounds, but we cannot expect them to do it all - now truly need your support. We're praying for a turning point, and your generosity can make this new beginning a reality.
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<div>Every dollar brings us closer to a functional home and much-needed stability. Please consider donating, or share our fundraiser link if you can't. Your help in reaching the other half of our goal means everything to us.
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<div>Thank you for being a part of our journey towards a brighter future.
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<div><strong>Earlier update:</strong>
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<div>Hello Everyone.
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<div><strong>Imagine being backed into a corner, forced to choose between your job and your family's well-being. That's where I found myself just five months ago. My name is Mark, I'm 60 years old, and alongside my incredible wife, we've faced a series of challenges that have brought us to a critical point. We are reaching out to you, from one human to another, hoping you can offer a hand up as we fight to regain stability and find a place to call home.</strong>
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<div>For the past three years, life has been an uphill battle. After an extended period of unemployment in 2021, we faced eviction in 2022. Since then, finding a permanent home has been impossible. When I secured my last job, our only option was to stay in a hotel, a roof over our heads that became our residence for three years.
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<div>Just recently, due to unforeseen and difficult circumstances at work – a situation where I had to make an impossible choice – I lost that job. The limited funds we had quickly dwindled, and despite my relentless search for new employment, the applications largely were ignored. A handful of promising interviews led nowhere.
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<div>Then, the unthinkable happened. With no income, we could no longer afford the hotel. We lost the only "home" we've known for the past three years. We desperately sought assistance from the county, but despite our emergency situation, every door closed. We exhausted every traditional avenue for help.
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<div>This isn't just a financial crisis; it's a deeply personal one, compounded by my health. I'm a heart patient, on medication for six years, and have been hospitalized three times for serious heart conditions, twice for congestive heart failure. These health challenges mean I can't do everything I once could, and the immense stress of our current situation only heightens the urgency. It's prompted me to consider applying for disability, but my primary focus remains securing work.
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<div>On the plus side, family has stepped in to help, even if reluctant to do so. But we need work and a roof over our head. For now, though, we need your help.
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<div>We are not giving up. My amazing wife, despite her own health complications, has been a pillar of strength, helping us maximize every last resource. I've been selling personal belongings, meticulously rationing gas, and applying for every job I can. This GoFundMe is truly a last resort, a step I resisted taking for months, holding onto hope that things would turn around. But now, we have nowhere else to turn.
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<div>Your support can provide the critical lifeline we need right now. Here's how your donation will directly help us:
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<div>Secure a Job/Income: Funds will bridge the gap, allowing me to continue my job search without the immediate pressure of homelessness, covering essentials like gas for interviews and basic communication.
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<div>Find a Safe, Affordable Home: We desperately need a stable, inexpensive place to live, a true home where we can rebuild. Your contribution will help with deposits, initial rent, and the security of knowing we have a roof over our heads.
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<div>Cover Essential Bills: We need to catch up on crucial expenses like car insurance (vital for job searching and daily needs) and storage unit fees, preventing further loss of our remaining possessions.
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<div>This isn't about not wanting to work; it's about needing a temporary bridge during an incredibly challenging and unusual time. My health dictates that I seek stability, and while I am actively pursuing every employment opportunity, a little help now will allow us to land on our feet, rather than sink further.
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<div>Every single donation, no matter the size, makes a profound difference. Even a prayer or a kind word of positive energy means the world to us.
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<div>We are eternally grateful for the support we've already received from family and friends, but our need has grown beyond their capacity.
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<div>Thank you for considering our plea. May God bless you for your generosity and compassion.
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Anonymous

Chuck Simonson

LTC Daniel Gray

Bruce Wilson

Eddie Waxman

Tamara Thompson

Michael Crippen

Robin Love

Help Mark Keep Afloat After Being Scammed

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

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fund country is US and user language is English

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comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

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Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

NPO recommendations prod

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

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fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

NPO upsell animals category

NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Help Mark Keep Afloat After Being Scammed

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