Reddit roundup: backed a fake campaign — can you get your money back?
Refund & Support · PledgeRadar Editorial ·
u/clachua received a notice that a funded campaign they backed was fake, with its assets reportedly stolen from someone else, and asked whether a refund is possible once a project has funded.
The consensus: Kickstarter itself rarely refunds, but backers who paid by card have had success with chargebacks, and at least one used a small-claims process.
What Reddit users said
If the campaign was entirely fake with stolen assets and never intended to deliver, there is a real basis for recovery. Card payers with buyer protection should contact their card issuer, since the case may qualify for a chargeback.
Original commentRecommends filing a card dispute right away. They say a funded project once collected shipping and then vanished; Kickstarter didn't help, but the card issuer refunded them.
Original commentDescribes a UK case: after a hardware project went quiet for a year and Kickstarter declined to refund, they filed a small claim online for the pledge amount. They say Kickstarter's legal team responded with an offer rather than contest it.
Original commentSuggests contacting the campaign creator using the details in the notice, while acknowledging the odds are low if it was a scam.
Original commentThinks outright fraud with stolen assets makes a strong case for a refund and recommends contacting Kickstarter immediately.
Original commentThinks there should be a refund path but doesn't expect one, describing backing as a gamble.
Original commentSource: I'm dumb and just got scammed. Possible refund? (r/kickstarter)
Replies in this roundup summarize public comments posted on Reddit and are credited to their original authors, with links to the source. They are third-party opinions, not statements by PledgeRadar or its members. PledgeRadar does not verify these claims and accepts no legal responsibility for the content of community discussions.