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A man from Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, used a heartbreaking story to persuade people to donate more than £10,000 to fake online fundraising appeals. Robert Ashton claimed that his partner had died from Covid-19 and that he was left to raise their children alone. Police also warned that there might be further victims who had not reported their experiences or had not realised they had been deceived.
People who believed his story donated money through GoFundMe and JustGiving, hoping to help a father going through a difficult time. But the tragedy he described was fabricated, and dozens of people ended up giving money under false pretences.
Ashton began creating fake social media accounts in early 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Hertfordshire Constabulary. He presented himself as a father who had lost his partner, the mother of his children, to the virus and was struggling to cope with the financial pressure of raising his family alone. He directed people to fundraising pages on GoFundMe and JustGiving, asking for money to help cover bills and support his children. The claims appealed to people who wanted to help a family they believed was dealing with bereavement and financial hardship. The donors believed they were helping a bereaved parent and his children during an exceptionally difficult period. Discovering that the story was false meant that their generosity had been exploited.
The case also demonstrated how emotional appeals can influence people’s decisions. Stories involving the death of a loved one, struggling families and children in need can encourage people to donate quickly, particularly when they believe their contribution will make an immediate difference.