For many, online fundraisers are a boon because it helps people raise the money required for emergencies like hospitalizations, terminal illnesses, and sometimes even death. Unfortunately, a handful of people take advantage of such public platforms by cheating others with a fake story. However, most of these swindlers ultimately get caught and things doesn’t really end well for them. That’s what happened to this mom, who faked being terminally ill to commit charity fraud.
Megan Scotcher concocted a false story about a cancer diagnosis and led her family and friends to believe that she only had a few months to live. Taking to Facebook, she informed people that had seven tumors in her lungs and that she was “devastated” by the news. Scotcher allegedly wished to take her two young children on a last-minute getaway before she succumbed to her illness. Nottingham Crown Court heard that a GoFundMe page with a target of $7,062 was created to help the 27-year-old. Soon, generous people began pouring in donations and the goal amount was surpassed by $24,011.48.
Now, Scotcher had $31,073 and she informed all her well-wishers that she was looking for “nice log cabins” where she could create some beautiful memories with her boys. “We’ve been looking at nice log cabins and different places where the boys can go with the bikes. It will create some really nice memories with them,” she expressed. Everything was going according to plan until one of Scotcher’s relatives decided to speak to the medical staff at the hospital where she claimed she was being treated. When the health officers appeared to be clueless about Scotcher’s case, the matter was reported to the police. In the due course of their investigation, cops too failed to find any records of Scotcher’s treatment that she declared to be receiving there.
It was later discovered that the mother of two had indeed battled cancer on three separate occasions. But after undergoing grueling chemotherapy and surgery, she had been cured. In fact, she didn’t have terminal cancer at the time the GoFundMe page was started to raise money. Scotcher lied that following a hospital checkup, her cancer had returned in July last year. She revealed she could no longer undergo chemotherapy as doctors said her previous cancer treatments had left her organs damaged for good.
“I’m absolutely devastated – more so for my children. With the youngest it’s quite difficult because he wouldn’t really understand. And with my eldest, he knows that I’m poorly but at the minute he doesn’t know the full extent,” she said at the time. She even thanked people for their generosity and kindness, while pocketing the money for all the wrong reasons. “I can’t get over people’s generosity to be honest. It’s been mind-blowing. It’s really amazing how people can come together – I still can’t get over it now,” she shared at the time.
Following an investigation, Scotcher was finally arrested in March, this year. She was charged with one count of fraud by false representation. During her virtual appearance at Nottingham Crown Court, the mother admitted to the offense. A psychiatric evaluation of Scotcher has been ordered by the judge and the case has been adjourned until the reports arrive. Her sentencing is due in September.