Badge - Rated by Super Lawyers Victor A. Rotolo
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Badge - New Jersey's Best Lawyers For Families 2018
Badge - Rated by Super Lawyers
Badge - AV Preeminent Victor A. Rotolo
Badge - Client Champion Gold 2020
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Please click Award & Selection Criteria & Methodology for information regarding the specific criteria used for selection of each of the above awards.

August 2018 - Don’t Fall Victim to Online Charity Scams

charity scam

When it comes to charitable causes, we all have situations that tug at our heartstrings and cause us to dig deep into our pockets to help. These days, giving to the causes we feel most strongly about is even easier with the influx of crowdfunding platforms. But, with this convenience comes risk.

Just this past May, an upstate New York couple was arrested for using a GoFundMe campaign to collect thousands of dollars for medical expenses for a child they falsely claimed had cancer. Fortunately, these instances are not the norm, but the danger does exist with all online charities, not just GoFundMe.

GoFundMe is perhaps the largest broad-purpose crowdfunding platform today. Since its launch in 2010, the organization has hosted about 2 million campaigns, collecting more than $5 billion from over 50 million donors. It’s estimated that more than 10,000 people start a new GoFundMe campaign every day. That’s a lot of requests for help and it is up to you to determine which are legitimate and which are fraudulent.

The best protection against online charity scams is to do your homework and watch for little red flags.

  • Check the campaign organizer’s Facebook account. New accounts with 40 or fewer friends should raise suspicions. Scammers often set up false social media accounts.
  • Try to contact the organizer directly; if you get vague answers to questions or no reply, chances are the organizer is a fake.

It’s been said that 70% of us donate to disaster relief causes before checking the legitimacy of the campaign. Don’t be a statistic. Before you donate, ask yourself:

  • Have you seen the images used in the campaign in newspapers or elsewhere on the web?
  • Are there sufficient details about how your donation will be used?
  • Is there a clear connection between the campaign organizer and the victim?

If you suspect fraud, report it to the specific crowdfunding platform or to the FTC by visiting https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov. Don’t let your enthusiasm to help others override your common sense.

What Our Clients are Saying
★★★★★

The absolute BEST!!! I have a family of attorneys but needed someone local. Victor was recommended to me and words cannot describe how pleased I was with his firm. The outstanding service and attention each member of his staff gave to me surpassed any and all expectations. Victor surrounds himself with a hardworking team that he leads. I felt it was money spent wisely. I will continue to recommend Victor and his associates.

- Stephanie
★★★★★

Mr. Rotolo has helped me numerous times in legal matters and has continued to support and help me through countless hardships. He is dedicated to providing the best service and is a true professional. I will continue to consult with him regarding any legal issues in the future. He is a respectable, hardworking, kind hearted man and I would recommend his legal services to anyone.

- Matthew
★★★★★

I am an attorney and have practiced law for 26 years. I hired Vic to handle a very difficult family matter because I do not handle family law. Vic was extremely competent and obtained a result far beyond my expectations. Without his counsel my son's and family's life would have been changed forever. Thank you Vic for your good lawyering. I very much appreciate the personal attention and time dedicated to this matter. I highly recommend Vic.

- Anthony
★★★★★

We recently had a situation where we needed to hire an attorney. We selected Kearns Rotolo Law and I can honestly say that we were above and beyond satisfied with Vic and his team. We would absolutely recommend this firm to anyone should the need arise. We blindly picked the firm out of the phone book because I liked his ad. Now I believe that God was pointing us in the right direction. Thank you Vic and Kearns Rotolo Law for being there for us in our time of need.

- Kim
★★★★★

Victor's expertise, due diligence, and empathy for his client made my first experience with the law (and last) a non-stressful one. Before the case, I did my research and looked over about 20 lawyers before choosing Victor. All my sources pointed to him as the best and they weren't off even a bit. Victor treated my case like it was his own and kept me up to date with all my appointments, breakthroughs in the case, and guided me step through step in a process that I never thought that I had to come to endure. If Victor's not available Susy will go out of her way to take care you. The productivity and efficiency in that office is second to none. Thank you Victor!

- Michael