Alfie Evans supporters slam cruel fraudsters after at least 25 fake fundraising pages set up in tragic tot’s name
TRAGIC Alfie Evans' supporters have slammed fraudsters after at least 25 fundraising pages were set up in his name.
The official Alfie Evans JustGiving page has received almost £140,000 of donations since it was set up with the original aim of getting the tot a diagnosis and treatment.
But since the death of 23-month-old Alfie, from Bootle, Merseyside, numerous JustGiving and GoFundMe pages have emerged.
There are now at least 25 online sites raising cash for the family, despite only and a JustGiving page set up by Louise Wallace are considered approved by the family.
Moderators of the Alfie’s Army Official Facebook group, which Alfie's parents Tom and Kate posted updates in, have slammed multiple pages asking why they have been set up without approval from the family.
Kayleigh Macey Hughes, a page moderator who is believed to be close to the family, posted on her own Facebook writing: “F***ing disgusting people making their own JustGiving pages using Alfie’s name saying it’s for him when no-one has had any permission off family to do them. Who ever has made them have some respect and take them f***ing down."
In the comments she wrote: “There’s over 14 of them.”
A page, set up on Saturday, states: “Weʼre raising £2,000 to Help with costs and living for Tom and Kate for the funeral of little Alfie Evans, the fighter."
Kayleigh commented on this page yesterday, writing: “Hi can I ask why you are setting a JustGiving page up when you do not have permission to?
“Please take it down, no family have given you permission. If you do not take it down the police will be called because this is fraud.”
The page is still up but has received no donations.
Another page, which was set up last week, before Alfie died, promised: “Weʼre raising £10,000 to get Alfie out of the hospital.”
Users have since commented on the page, which has so far raised nothing.
Tiana Leigh wrote: “Do Not Donate This Is A SCAM!!!!”
Emma Thomas wrote: “This is sick," while Jane Daly called it a “Disgrace," and Donna Thomas added: “This is the third funding page I've seen today.”
Another page, set up to four days ago to raise £1,500 for funeral costs, has been made by a user called Help Alfie Evans, and has raised £40 so far.
Kayleigh also commented on it saying the page was fake.
Kelly Edwards wrote: "You vile human being. How could you do this?"
A GoFundMe page set up two days ago is trying to raise £50,000, stating: "I don’t know Tom and Kate personally but I would like to let them know that Alfie and themselves are a credit to society and that Tom and Kate did him and the world 100% proud."
A Merseyside Police spokesman said there had been no reports to the force about the pages so far.
A GoFundMe spokesperson said: “GoFundMe has the strictest policies and processes regarding misuse.
"We are the only fundraising platform to protect its users with a guarantee - so donors can be sure their money will get to the right place or will be refunded. We review all GoFundMe campaigns to make sure there is a correct beneficiary and no funds will be allowed to be withdrawn unless we are confident there is a clear way of those funds getting to right place.”
JustGiving told Sun Online: "We were very sad to learn that Alfie had passed away over the weekend. Our thoughts are with Alfie’s parents and family at this incredibly sad time.
"We will be working with the family to discuss how they would like the funds raised for Alfie to be used.
"Anyone who sets up a JustGiving page is required to pass several security checks. Any pages which we believe to have been set up fraudulently will immediately be cancelled.
"All pages in Alfie’s name are currently quarantined, which means no money can be withdrawn until further notice. This ensures that any donations made will be used as intended by Alfie’s family.
"Our dedicated team is working hard to ensure that all pages set up to support Alfie’s family are verified to meet our industry leading fraud prevention standards.”
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Alfie was at the centre of a life support battle, between his parents, Tom Evans and Kate Jones, health officials and the justice system before he passed away in the early hours of Saturday, April 28.
The tot, who would have been two in May, was in a "semi-vegetative state" and had a degenerative neurological condition which doctors had not definitively diagnosed.
His parents were fighting to take the boy to Italy for treatment after being advised there was nothing else that could be done.
His life support was switched off last Monday April 23, but the tot stayed alive, breathing on his own until the early hours of Saturday morning.
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