Online Community Cracking Up Over 6 Absurd And Desperate Crowdfunding Efforts Found On Instagram

Digital panhandling at its finest.

May

• Published in Funny
• February 4, 2024

A lot of things were made possible by the internet. During the '90s, PayPal was a huge step up in the world of digital payments.

You would commonly see a PayPal donate button on websites, with the webmaster asking people to chip in to maintain the site and support its content creation. With the rise of platforms like Kickstarter, GoFundMe, and Patreon, crowdfunding has become a staple of online fundraising.

These platforms allow creators, entrepreneurs, and individuals to solicit contributions from a wide audience for projects, causes, or personal endeavors. From funding independent films to supporting personal expenses, crowdfunding has democratized the process of raising money, empowering people to connect directly with their supporters and bypass traditional funding channels.

Everyone can ask to donate money for a specific cause — it can be for paying one person's overwhelming medical bills to something as silly as a potato salad. Zack Danger Brown, a.k.a. the Potato Salad King, proved that in the digital age, even the humblest spud can become a symbol of online generosity.

The internet has truly revolutionized the way we support and finance endeavors, making it easier for individuals to bring their ideas to life and receive support from communities across the globe. Now, if you're looking for some of the silliest personal crowdfunding efforts, you've come to the right place.

Over at the r/ChoosingBeggars, a Redditor was on a roll collecting and sharing screenshots of salty online beggars who've become so desperate for a quick buck that they'd shamelessly ask strangers to fund lavish vacations, pet projects, or even their pampering fix.

Scroll down for some digital version of panhandling, but with a twist of entitlement and a sprinkle of absurdity.

1. They even made an effort to create a menu for Major Emergency and Monthly Crowdfund. How nice!

2. This is what they call "struggling?"

3. Oh, come now, let's give the poor soul some credit.

It's a cool fifty or they'll have to impolitely decline your virtual generosity altogether.

4. Listen to this poor soul, will ya? It's at least $50, ya hear?

5. That time when two bucks smelled disgusting.

6. A moment of desperation.

Let's take a look at some of the community member's reactions.

Some users even wanted updates. Now that would be a fun read indeed!

Redditor isn't satisfied with salty reactions. They want the saltier ones.

The post went viral with over 6K likes and 1.4K comments.

It has become a "lucrative career" for some (desperate) people.

We all remember the Zach ‘Danger’ Brown in Ohio.

Online panhandling.

Redditor tries to coin a term for such a practice.

Some people are just waiting for the fruit to fall in their mouths.

Some people out there are just masters of creativity in the art of online begging a.k.a. digital panhandling or telepanhandling (whichever name you want to call it). They've perfected the art of shirking the responsibilities of proper adulthood, opting instead for the "virtual hustle."

Do your friends and fam love absurd stories like this? Share this post!

May