Unverified fundraisers removed after Marquay Collins death. GoFundMe explains donor safety
GoFundMe has removed several unverified fundraisers that purported to raise money for the family of Columbus native and TikTok star Marquay Collins, who died at 24 late last month, the company said.
Collins, who amassed more than 7 million followers on TikTok and was mourned by many on social media, died Nov. 26 at his home, weeks after he was involved in a car crash, according to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan.
GoFundMe confirmed to the Ledger-Enquirer that of the several pages posted appearing to raise money to support Collins’ family, only one was verified. The verified page had been created by Collins’ mother, Sonja Collins. The other pages were removed. GoFundMe said only $20 had been donated to the unverified accounts, and that $20 was refunded.
“When there’s an unspeakable tragedy people have a deep urge to help and provide comfort to those affected,” said Brian Hill, GoFundMe communications manager. “It’s not uncommon for someone to create a fundraiser to help another individual or family. We are continuing to closely monitor the platform and review any fundraisers created on behalf of the Collins family.”
The verified fundraiser, which Sonja Collins shared to her Facebook page, was bringing in significantly more money for the family: It had raised nearly $22,000 as of Saturday morning.
Collins said on her GoFundMe post that her son didn’t have life insurance, and she was trying to raise money to cover costs for his funeral and burial.
“The financial burden of his funeral and burial is overwhelming, and we are reaching out for help to give him the farewell he deserves,” she said.
GoFundMe’s donation safety steps
GoFundMe has a list of tips on its website that encourage organizers and donors to keep themselves and their money safe when using the platform. Among those is getting a GoFundMe verified if you’re a page organizer. For those donating, GoFundMe touts fraud prevention technology, and urges donors to read the company’s transparency guidelines and ask questions of the fundraiser if necessary.
The company shared additional tips and information with the Ledger-Enquirer.
GoFundMe said it has a team of experts reviewing fundraisers who work directly with organizers to prevent misuse. Human reviews from trust & safety experts are combined with technical tools to catch and prevent misuse. The company also works with payment partners to verify personal and banking information, and requires identification methods, including government IDs.
In order for a fundraiser to get verified, as Sonja Collins’ is, the company has to know who the organizer is, as well as who they’re raising the money for, the relationship between the organizer and the recipient of the money, and the use of the money, GoFundMe said. If a fundraiser needs extra review to get verified, GoFundMe puts the page on hold, keeping any money from being withdrawn.
GoFundMe says misuse on the platform is rare, but when it happens, the company takes swift action that may include removing the fundraiser made with ill intent, banning accounts for violating terms of service, or pursuing legal action if necessary.
The company also offers refunds to donors through the “GoFundMe Giving Guarantee” in the event that there are issues with the fundraiser.
When is Marquay Collins’ funeral?
Collins’ funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Columbus Civic Center. It will be open to the public.
Investigators haven’t confirmed whether the Nov. 7 car crash that Collins was in caused his death. An autopsy report wasn’t available Thursday and Bryan said Collins’ cause of death was undetermined. Bryan also said that after returning home from the hospital, Collins complained of headaches, neck, shoulder and spine pain.
This story was originally published December 6, 2025 at 2:29 PM.