Fraud cases involving fake charitable donations
Fraud cases involving fake charitable donations
By : Kobre & Kim LLP
Case Overview:
The case involved Violet, a woman living in Oslo, who saw a charity on social media claiming to be helping local disaster-stricken children. The organization asks donors to donate via wire transfer and promises that all donations will be used to help affected children. After watching the touching promotional video, Violet donated a total of US$2,000 via two wire transfers. However, a few months later, she discovered that the organization had never been registered with any official channels and had never actually carried out any rescue activities. She realized she had been defrauded and immediately contacted our law firm for legal assistance.
Legal Response:
Initial communication and victim counseling:
Our legal team first conducted a detailed preliminary consultation and learned in detail about Violet’s experience of being deceived, the scammer’s contact information, donation records and other relevant information. Through this consultation, we confirmed the basic circumstances of the case and developed a preliminary legal strategy. We also provided Violet with psychological support to help her alleviate the disappointment and anxiety caused by being deceived so that she could better cooperate with subsequent legal actions.
Background of the investigation platform:
Using a professional charity database, we investigated the organization's registration information and activity records, and found that the organization had never registered with any official channels. We collected all the social media interactions with the scammers and analyzed the scammers' online activity trail through technical means. Working with Ms. Ke's bank, they tracked the money flow of the donations and found the path and final direction of the money transfer.
Cross-border tracing and cooperation:
We assisted Violet in reporting the case to the local police and provided all the collected evidence materials. We work closely with the police, coordinating investigations and providing legal advice and support.
Litigation and Fund Recovery:
After thorough preparation, we filed a civil lawsuit against the scammers in the Oslo Court, demanding the return of the defrauded funds and compensation for economic losses. We applied for an asset freezing order and successfully froze some of the scammer’s assets to prevent him from further transferring property. During the litigation process, we actively negotiated with the other party and eventually reached a settlement agreement. The scammers agreed to return most of the defrauded funds and assume certain compensation responsibilities.
Case Outcome:
After thorough preparation, we filed a civil lawsuit against the scammers in the Oslo Court, demanding the return of the defrauded funds and compensation for economic losses. We applied for an asset freezing order and successfully froze some of the scammer’s assets to prevent him from further transferring property. During the litigation process, we actively negotiated with the other party and eventually reached a settlement agreement. The scammers agreed to return most of the defrauded funds and assume certain compensation responsibilities.
