{"id":115271,"date":"2024-10-17T18:23:56","date_gmt":"2024-10-17T11:23:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=115271"},"modified":"2024-10-17T18:23:56","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T11:23:56","slug":"hurricane-aid-conspiracy-theories-threaten-crowdfunding-efforts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=115271","title":{"rendered":"Hurricane aid conspiracy theories threaten crowdfunding efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"\">In the days and weeks after hurricanes Helene and Milton slammed the Southeast, communities are looking to crowdfund for repairs as conspiracy theories dog efforts to rebuild.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Since the storms hit, the Biden administration has sought to counter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/false-claims-fema-disaster-funds-migrants-pushed-trump-rcna173955\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">false accusations that it is diverting federal relief funds<\/a> to immigrants, a claim advanced by some Republican politicians, including former President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">A flurry of dubious pleas for crowdfunding \u2014 including a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/G__Tweets__\/status\/1846243322819440893\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">viral TikTok video <\/a>by a man accusing the Federal Emergency Management Agency of evicting him from his Asheville, North Carolina, business \u2014 have added to the swirl of false claims, threatening to sap public focus from those who actually need help.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Ashley Aldous Pangborn, 35, said she was glad friends persuaded her to set up a GoFundMe campaign after Helene filled her family\u2019s Homosassa, Florida, home with 28 inches of water. She and her husband had just finished renovations, almost exactly one year since Hurricane Idalia caused nearly $130,000 in property damage.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__yAWZ0 styles_medium__OMa6x\"><picture class=\"styles_image__1qciH\" data-testid=\"picture\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-family-ew-317p-6ca9f2.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-family-ew-317p-6ca9f2.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-family-ew-317p-6ca9f2.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-family-ew-317p-6ca9f2.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-family-ew-317p-6ca9f2.jpg\" alt=\"Ashley Aldous Pangborn with her family.\" height=\"1280\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__Pe5JC\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">Ashley Aldous Pangborn and her family have been living in short-term rentals for the last few weeks.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Ashley Aldous Pangborn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\">In the last few weeks, the couple and their two kids have been hopping among a series of rentals they booked on Vrbo, and the nearly $12,000 Pangborn has raised through her $20,000-target campaign has helped cover those costs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pullquote pullquote--small\" data-testid=\"pullquote-small\">\n<p class=\"pullquote__quote\" data-testid=\"pullquote-quote\">Any misinformation muddies waters. Fake stories detract from real ones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pullquote__attribution\"><cite class=\"pullquote__cite\" data-testid=\"pullquote-attribution\">Ashley Aldous Pangborn, Homosassa, Fla.<\/cite><span class=\"pullquote__quip\" data-testid=\"pullquote-quip\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"\">The money has been a crucial lifeline as the family waits for more government aid to come through. \u201cIt kind of gives us that security that we can make it through to the next month before we really know what happens to us,\u201d Pangborn said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Still, she worries that the falsehoods could hamper what\u2019s expected to be a long recovery process \u2014 for her family and government responders alike.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cAny misinformation muddies waters. Fake stories detract from real ones,\u201d Pangborn said. The conspiracy theories surrounding FEMA in particular \u201cwill limit the people they will be able to help,\u201d she added. \u201cI fear that things like this will continue to fan the flames of distrust and put FEMA workers in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__yAWZ0 styles_medium__OMa6x\"><picture class=\"styles_image__1qciH\" data-testid=\"picture\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-house-ew-315p-36e3f9.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-house-ew-315p-36e3f9.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-house-ew-315p-36e3f9.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-house-ew-315p-36e3f9.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-house-ew-315p-36e3f9.jpg\" alt=\"The Pangborns expect they\u2019ll need to raise their flooded Homosassa, Fla., home several feet to qualify for more federal aid.\" height=\"710\" width=\"1065\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__Pe5JC\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">The Pangborns expect they\u2019ll need to raise their flooded Homosassa, Fla., home several feet to qualify for more federal aid.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Ashley Aldous Pangborn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\">A GoFundMe spokesperson said the popular crowdfunding platform\u2019s trust and safety team has been working \u201caround the clock\u201d to scrutinize appeals for Helene- and Milton-related aid. The company has also set up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/enxh8-hurricane-relief-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">its own relief fund<\/a> and is assuring users that its verification process is sound.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">GoFundMe\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/c\/act\/hurricane-helene\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hurricane Helene Relief Hub<\/a> features thousands of fundraisers that it says it has determined are authentic. They cover a variety of emergency relief, \u201cincluding for temporary shelter, essentials like food and diapers, and long-term rebuilding,\u201d the spokesperson said. About 500,000 donors have raised over $65 million on the platform since Helene made landfall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">But as more time passes, communities still grappling with severe storm damage increasingly worry they\u2019ll be overlooked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">In recent weeks, conspiracy theories have been drawing some of the biggest post-hurricane headlines \u2014\u00a0from allegations of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/misinformation\/armed-north-carolina-man-arrested-suspicion-making-threats-fema-worker-rcna175287\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">threats of violence against FEMA workers<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/white-house\/biden-shoots-marjorie-taylor-greenes-ridiculous-conspiracy-theory-cont-rcna174710\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fantastical assertions<\/a> that the Biden administration is controlling the weather \u2014 as public attention on ground-level rebuilding efforts drifts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Small businesses in North Carolina\u2019s Great Smoky Mountains have been pushing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/business\/economy\/helene-great-smoky-mountains-are-desperate-tourists-rcna173704\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">let visitors know they\u2019re open for business<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/business\/economy\/asheville-river-arts-district-hurricane-helene-damage-rcna173506\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">artists<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/business\/economy\/asheville-musicians-rally-helene-fear-losing-audience-rcna174062\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">musicians<\/a> in the creative hub of Asheville are bracing for a lengthy recovery that many expect they\u2019ll have to undertake largely on their own.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__yAWZ0 styles_medium__OMa6x\"><picture class=\"styles_image__1qciH\" data-testid=\"picture\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-inside-house-ew-315p-eb637b.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-inside-house-ew-315p-eb637b.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-inside-house-ew-315p-eb637b.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-inside-house-ew-315p-eb637b.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2024-10\/241016-Ashley-Aldous-Pangborn-inside-house-ew-315p-eb637b.jpg\" alt=\"The Pangborn family\u2019s home has sustained costly flood damage.\" height=\"2313\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__Pe5JC\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">The Pangborn family\u2019s home has sustained costly flood damage.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Ashley Aldous Pangborn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\">Pangborn said she received the initial $750 relief payment FEMA provides to disaster survivors. But she\u2019s in a holding pattern for further rebuilding aid, as the agency requires proof of insurance claim denial \u2014 which she has yet to receive \u2014 to disburse more funds. Even after that, Pangborn said, she\u2019ll need to elevate her home by at least several feet to obtain a building permit for construction within the parameters of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fema.gov\/appeal\/codes-and-standards-50-percent-rule\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FEMA\u2019s 50% rule<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">As Pangborn works on those next steps, she said, she\u2019s worried about people targeting agency workers who are already \u201cinundated\u201d with requests from residents. Many households, she noted, are dealing with damage from hurricanes \u2014 which are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/science\/climate-change\/hurricane-helene-milton-climate-change-wetter-windier-rcna174347\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">growing stronger and larger because of climate change<\/a> \u2014 for the first time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\u201cI have to believe that everyone is trying their best,\u201d she said, or else \u201cI\u2019m going to lose my faith in humanity, and things are hard enough right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">While GoFundMe said it follows a thorough \u201cdue diligence\u201d process to vet fundraisers, it also encourages donors to assess campaigns before they give. That includes reviewing fundraiser pages for clear details, contacting organizers with questions and scanning comments and previous donations for any potential red flags. The company added that every donation is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/c\/safety\/gofundme-guarantee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fully refundable<\/a> in case abuse is identified.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Other platforms, such as Indiegogo and the nonprofit-focused Mightycause, have also been hosting appeals for hurricane-related relief. Some of the people who\u2019ve turned to crowdfunding are looking to finance repairs that federal money might not cover in the near term or at all, many households just outside FEMA-designated disaster areas have sustained damage, and the Small Business Administration\u2019s disaster fund for low-interest loans has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sba.gov\/article\/2024\/10\/15\/sba-exhausts-funds-new-disaster-loans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">run out of money<\/a>, though the agency is encouraging applicants to keep filing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">In the meantime, Pangborn worries about neighbors who might not have the resources or the digital literacy to raise money online.<\/p>\n<p class=\"endmark\">\u201cI live in an area where there\u2019s a lot of older people. Not everyone knows how to use the computer,\u201d she said. \u201cYour whole life is turned upside-down, and there are expenses that you don\u2019t even know that you\u2019re going to have to pay for.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/hurricane-aid-conspiracy-theories-threaten-crowdfunding-efforts-rcna175319\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the days and weeks after hurricanes Helene and Milton slammed the Southeast, communities are looking to crowdfund for repairs as conspiracy theories dog efforts to rebuild. Since the storms &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=115271\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8629],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-115271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-u-s","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=115271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115271\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=115271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=115271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=115271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}