Trust & Safety
The Giving Guarantee
The YouFundMe Giving Guarantee protects every donor. If you donate to a campaign that is confirmed as fraudulent, we will refund your donation in full, no questions asked.
What the Giving Guarantee covers
The Giving Guarantee covers donations made to campaigns that are confirmed as fraudulent by our trust team. It applies to all payment methods: MTN MoMo, Airtel Money, and card payments.
How to claim a refund
If a campaign you donated to is flagged as fraudulent, you will receive an email notification from YouFundMe. The email will include instructions on how to claim your refund. You do not need to do anything proactively. We will contact you.
Refund timeline
Once a campaign is confirmed as fraudulent and your refund is approved, funds are returned to your original payment method within 5–10 business days. Mobile money refunds are typically faster than card refunds.
What a refund includes
A refund returns the donation amount. The payment processing fee, tax, and any tip you paid on top of the donation are returned where we are able to recover them from our payment processor or the tax authority. The email that confirms your refund states the exact amount being returned to you.
Time limit
The Giving Guarantee applies to donations made within the past 12 months. Donations older than 12 months are not covered.
What is not covered
The Giving Guarantee does not cover campaigns where the organiser raised funds in good faith but was unable to achieve their goal. It only applies to confirmed fraud, where the organiser intentionally misrepresented their cause.
How we prevent fraud in the first place
We require KYC verification before releasing funds, monitor campaigns for suspicious activity, and review all withdrawal requests manually. Our goal is to prevent fraud before it happens, not just respond to it.
Tip
If you are unsure about a campaign before donating, look for the Verified badge, read the campaign story carefully, and check if the organiser has posted updates. You can also contact our trust team at trust@youfundme.org.