There's a Disturbing Trend in Political Donations

A CNN investigation has uncovered a troubling trend in political fundraising, one in which elderly Americans—particularly those with dementia—are unwittingly becoming major donors to campaigns. Both parties have benefited from the practice, which often begins with a small online donation to a candidate. But once the hooks are set, a barrage of texts and emails follow, often deploying deceptive practices that sign people up for recurring donations without them realizing it. Those donating commonly think they're communicating directly with their favored candidate. The investigation reached out to more than 300 of the largest and most-frequent small-sum political contributors and found dozens of examples of "unwitting elderly donors."

"The fundraising operations that have solicited money from vulnerable senior citizens use either WinRed or ActBlue, two juggernaut digital platforms that unite hundreds of political groups and campaigns under a single umbrella," per the story. It's a profitable enterprise: Each platform gets about 4% off each transaction. The FTC has logged more than 800 complaints about WinRed from 2022 through 2024, and 120 about ActBlue. The story includes multiple examples of families fighting to get back hefty sums, sometimes in the six figures. "He was old, lonely, and isolated," says the son of an 81-year-old donor who wound up in debt after giving about $80,000 in small but constant increments. "'Save America, help save America,' that was the constant message," adds the son. "He would get thanked for helping to save America." (Read the full investigation.)