08/31/2026
The Nepal floods are creating another crisis alongside the physical devastation: fake donation campaigns.
Nepal Police have already warned about fraudulent relief pages, unauthorized QR codes, fake social profiles, phishing links, and requests to send money to personal bank accounts or e-wallets.
A few warning signs to look for before donating:
- A brand-new social account created immediately after the disaster
- An official-sounding name with no verifiable organization behind it
- Donations routed to a personal e-wallet, bank account, PayPal account, or crypto wallet
- QR codes where the recipient name does not match the organization
- Stolen, recycled, or AI-generated disaster imagery
- Identical fundraising messages appearing across unrelated accounts
- Pressure tactics such as “Donate now” or “Every second counts”
- Requests for PINs, OTPs, card details, or unnecessary personal information
The safest approach is simple: Go directly to the official government relief fund or a recognized charity, verify the recipient before approving payment, and check who is actually behind the campaign.