Back to Fake Crowdfunding Withdrawal Fee Scam

This is a version of Fake Crowdfunding Withdrawal Fee Scam.

Fake Ravel Volunteers Impact Points Withdrawal Scam

The Verdant Volunteers scam is now operating under the name Ravel Volunteers, at ravelvolunteers[.]org. It is the same crowdfunding withdrawal fee scheme previously run as Verdant Charity and Verdant Volunteers, whose earlier activity appeared focused on Kenya. The site offers fundraising campaigns and volunteer placements, then its own terms let it require a campaign organizer to obtain an "Impact Badge" before the next withdrawal, with Impact Points earned at one point per US dollar donated. On October 23, 2026 CSRF found the Ravel site listing the same US phone number as Verdant Volunteers (+1 385 233 9891), the same Canadian number, near-identical homepage text with the brand name swapped, and the same website build files. Reviewer photos on the Ravel reviews page load from a cloud storage bucket named "verdant". ravelvolunteers[.]org was registered on September 30, 2026, and its reviews page says it began collecting reviews on October 1, 2026, yet it already showed 111 reviews averaging 4.6 out of 5. www.verdantvolunteers[.]org returned "410 Gone" the same day. Do not pay for points or badges to release donations.

Fake Ravel Volunteers Impact Points Withdrawal Scam | Screenshot

What’s different in this version

These traits set this message apart from the usual pattern.

  1. New name for Verdant Charity and Verdant Volunteers: Ravel Volunteers, operated by "Ravel Global LLC" according to its own terms

  2. Withdrawal gating is written into published "Impact Points and Badges Terms" (last updated June 6, 2026) instead of only being sent in messages

  3. Same US (+1 385 233 9891) and Canadian (+1 438 231 4783) numbers as Verdant Volunteers; contact addresses moved to the ravelvolunteers[.]org domain

  4. Domain registered September 30, 2026; reviews page started October 1, 2026 but already showed 111 reviews on October 23, 2026

  5. Reviewer photos on the Ravel reviews page load from a Hetzner cloud storage bucket named "verdant"; www.ravelvolunteers[.]org, www.verdantvolunteers[.]org and www.verdantcharity[.]org all point to the same Vercel hosting target

  6. Claims offices in New York, London, Cape Town and Singapore and shows partner logos loaded from other organizations' websites

How this scam works

  1. 1

    Step 1: You find a new fundraising site that promises fast donations and success stories.

  2. 2

    Step 2: You create a campaign and soon see many donations and likes — often from names you don’t recognize.

  3. 3

    Step 3: When you try to withdraw, the site says your account is restricted or not trusted yet.

  4. 4

    Step 4: They tell you to earn or buy special items (like points, badges, verification) to 'unlock' withdrawals.

  5. 5

    Step 5: You’re asked to pay small fees first, then more fees (for trust, security, taxes, or faster release).

  6. 6

    Step 6: Even after paying, the withdrawal is delayed or blocked, and the cycle repeats until the victim stops paying.

✓ Do this

  • Search the platform’s name plus the words 'scam,' 'reviews,' and 'withdrawal' before you join.
  • Use only well-known fundraising platforms, and confirm the company’s registration and physical address.
  • Ask a trusted friend or family member to look at the site with you before paying any fee.
  • Take screenshots of messages and pages if something feels off, and report the site to local consumer protection.
  • If you already paid, contact your bank or mobile money provider right away to ask about reversing the payment.

✗ Avoid this

  • Do not pay any fee to withdraw your own donations — real platforms do not make you buy points or badges.
  • Do not send payments to personal numbers or through gift cards or crypto for 'verification.'
  • Do not share your banking PINs, passwords, or ID photos with unknown platforms.
  • Do not rely on on-site reviews or donor counts alone — scammers fake those.

Verbatim excerpts from the scam

Exact lines from emails or messages—searchable text so you can compare wording.

  1. 1 Excerpt 1
    Impact Points and Badges Terms, section 12 (ravelvolunteers[.]org, viewed October 23, 2026): "Following an individual account review, Ravel may determine that a Campaign Organizer must obtain a specified Impact Badge before the Organizer's next Withdrawal can be completed."
  2. 2 Excerpt 2
    Impact Points and Badges Terms: "Unless a transaction disclosure states otherwise, each whole United States dollar of an Eligible Donation earns one Impact Point."
  3. 3 Excerpt 3
    Impact Points and Badges Terms, badge examples: "Examples may include the Community Trust Seal, Loyal Giver Badge, and Impact Legend Badge."