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A mother-of-four has been charged with defrauding generous people of more
than $25,000 by falsely claiming she was battling breast cancer.

Tara Michelle Enoka was earlier this month charged with gaining benefit by fraud, after a GoFundMe was set up to help her with her alleged battle
with breast and cervical cancer.

WA Police said a man created a GoFundMe account, which “stated the
fundraiser was to assist a woman who is known to him who had been
diagnosed with a rare medical condition”.

Police allege Ms Enoka registered herself as the beneficiary of the funds
being raised.

The 35-year-old then allegedly created a video on a separate website to
assist with promoting the fundraising activity, with police saying she
claimed the money raised would be “used to pay for her medical treatment”.

“Between March and September 2021, more than 500 people from 16 countries donated a total of just over $37,000. It will be further alleged between
March 2021 and October 2021, the woman transferred more than $36,000 from
the fundraiser to her personal bank account,” a WA Police spokesman told NewsWire.

“It will be alleged the woman had not been diagnosed with the medical
condition as the fundraising account and supporting video claimed.”

Ms Enoka’s video remains on YouTube, where she pleads with her audience
for help alongside the hashtag #StandWithTara.

In the video she claims she has “never been the type to ask anybody for
help” but she had learned “it is OK to ask for help”.

“We’re raising the money to help pay for the treatments that I need to potentially save my life sorry that I can be here for my kids to watch
them grow up,” Ms Enoka said in the YouTube video.

GoFundMe has said it is “proactively” refunding all the donors who
contributed to the fun.

A GoFundMe spokesman told NewsWire it has a “zero tolerance” policy for
misuse of the platform and will co-operate with the police investigation
of anyone accused of any wrongdoing.

“All donors will be proactively refunded and we have removed this
fundraiser,” the spokesman said.

“The beneficiary has also been banned from using the platform for any
future fundraisers.

“GoFundMe’s Giving Guarantee offers a full refund in the rare case when something isn’t right; this is the first and only donor protection
guarantee in the crowd-funding industry.“

It is understood GoFundMe is processing refunds as quickly as possible and
is warning donors they do not need to take any action.

Ms Enoka was arrested on June 6 and charged with gains benefit by fraud.

Police have said there is no allegation the man who created the GoFundMe
was aware the woman’s claims were not true.

Ms Enoka will return to court in August.

Bob Sacamano
4 hours ago

Should force her to to work with the local hospital's cancer patients, so
she can hopefully understand what an enormous pile of refuse she is.

Ankle Spanker
4 hours ago

Never donate to a go fund me site there are better ways to help those in
need.

https://nypost.com/2024/06/21/world-news/mom-of-four-faked-cancer-to- collect-25k-in-gofundme-police/

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