As actor and TV host Cameron Mathison’s family grapples with losing their home in the Los Angeles wildfires, the Hallmark alum warned fans on January 10, 2025, that scammers are now trying to profit off their pain.
Mathison captioned his Instagram video by writing, “PLEASE DO NOT DONATE TO A GO FUND ME PAGE using my videos or photos!!! It is not us. We are not asking for money. Unimaginable that someone is using this disaster to rip people off.”
The actor urged people to be careful about ensuring that fundraisers they donate to are verified as other Hallmark stars shared GoFundMe campaigns set up for friends and family members devastated by the fires, which have killed 10 and destroyed at least 10,000 structures, according to USA Today.
Cameron Mathison Says His Photos & Videos He Posted From Home Loss Have Been Used by Scammers
Still wearing the one black hoodie he took with him when evacuating his home, Mathison uploaded a video explaining the situation and thanking everyone for their “love and support.”
“Please do not donate to a GoFundMe page using my images, my face, my name,” he reiterated. “We are not asking for money. Somebody is using the images and the videos that I posted to try to get money for (themselves). It is not us. Please do not do that. We appreciate your support, but be careful who you donate to out there, okay? Thank you so much, everybody.”
Celebrities frequently have to deal with scammers pretending to be them, but Mathison’s fans and fellow actors were “horrified” to hear that it’s happening to those who’ve lost their homes and businesses in the historic Los Angeles wildfires.
Hallmark star Andrew Walker responded to Mathison’s post by writing, “Unbelievable. It never ends.”
Benjamin Ayres’ Romance University account replied, “So sorry you’re dealing with all this Cam❤️”
Actress Mira Sorvino wrote, “Cameron I am so sorry for all that your family is going through!!”
Among the hundreds of fans who commented within minutes of Mathison’s posting, one wrote, “It’s sick how people can use a tragedy like this to try and swindle people put of money. Thank you for the heads up. Be well.”
Another commented, “I’m sorry you are dealing with this on top of all that is. Heartbreaking 💔”
Someone else wrote, “That is just disgusting for someone to do with your face, voice, image, whatever!!! You are so diplomatic and kind. This really hacks me!!! Shame on whoever does such a despicable thing. Take care Cam, I promise to block and (report) ANYTHING like that”
Other Hallmark Stars Have Shared Verified Fundraisers for Friends & Family Who’ve Lost Everything
Mathison, who moved to Great American Family in late 2023 after years of starring in Hallmark rom-coms and mystery movies, was one of the first celebrities to reveal his home was a total loss on January 8.
After noticing nearby flames as he drove home from dinner the previous night, he told said during a “Good Morning America” appearance, “I raced back home and I put a bag together with what I’m wearing … and I left to come and stay at an apartment here in Pasadena with my daughter and her mom,” adding that he only realized how bad the situation might get as they turned on the news.
Though most celebrities like Mathison are not asking for donations, multiple Hallmark stars have shared verified fundraisers set up for friends and family members who’ve also lost their homes in the wildfires.
On January 10, “Good Witch” and “Christmas on Cherry Lane” star Catherine Bell posted in her Instagram Stories and on her feed that a GoFundMe campaign had been set up for her best friend, whose family had “lost everything in the Palisades fire.” Bell noted that “every contribution counts, big or small!!” At the time of publication, they’d reached a third of their $100,000 goal, including a $20,000 donation from one individual.
“Chesapeake Shores” alum and “Believe in Christmas” star Meghan Ory shared in her Stories on January 9 that her “sweet roommate from our pre-kid days @_jacqueline_michelle and her family lost their home on Tuesday” and posted the link to their GoFundMe campaign. After a day, half of their $150,000 goal had been reached.
On January 10, singer and actress Katharine McPhee, who starred in Hallmark’s “In My Dreams” in 2014 and has provided songs for many Hallmark movies’ soundtracks, shared a GoFundMe campaign for families of her son’s preschool, Palisades Preschool, which was demolished in the fire.
“This is being put together by rennie’s pre-school teacher so I know it’s legitimate,” she wrote. “Please consider donating if you can 🙏”
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Scammers Trying to Profit Off Cameron Mathison’s Wildfire Tragedy: ‘Unimaginable’