Crowdfunders are upset after they say Indiegogo emailed them about updating fundraising campaigns they’ve never even had.
Thanks @Indiegogo but… umm. I don't have a campaign. Or contributors. pic.twitter.com/RxSXeAiRhZ
— Dan Watson (@danjohnwatson) April 4, 2016
"Your contributors reached out to us" umm no they didn't as I have no campaigns @Indiegogo
— NotHereMcAuliflower (@mcauliflower) April 4, 2016
Apparently if you've ever participated in an @Indiegogo campaign you are going to get an email about "your campaign" today.
— A cranky chef (@LeMadChef) April 4, 2016
Several people posted about an email from what looks to be Indiegogo’s support team email, talking about how they’re not interacting enough with their non-existent project supporters. Multiple posted screenshots that read: “Your contributors reached out to us, because they are concerned about your lack of Updates and communication to your Indiegogo campaign page.” An apology email from the same address went out about an hour later.
https://twitter.com/spacegirlrobyn/status/717112509522644992
A few people told the Daily Dot on Twitter that they’ve never hosted a project on Indiegogo, but all of them had supported as least one project in the past. Some commenters were afraid that a spamming company had gotten a hold of their information and was trying to defraud them by posing as the crowdfunding site, with a few concerned users changing their passwords or deleting their accounts as a result.
. @Indiegogo won't even answer the phone. Someone possibly making off w/ my personal info and leaving me to blame for a fraudulent campaign.
— Megaaaan ✨🍉 (@meganimation) April 4, 2016
Indiegogo has not officially confirmed either email, and did not respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment.
If anything, this looks like a simple email blast mistake, and Indiegogo wouldn’t be the first perpetrator. In 2012, an NYU student accidentally started the “Reply-Allpocalypse” when a mass reply spawned a larger-than-life email thread affecting all 40,000 students. And BuzzFeed got a good laugh in 2014 when one of its former staff writers started a company-wide email chain after reporting late for work.
@eric101101 @Enichan I got the same… Someone accidentally click 'send to all'? Their marketing dept's going to be in trouble! @Indiegogo
— ✨Milly✨ (@FancyAsMilly) April 4, 2016
Indiegogo is a crowdfunding site where people support entrepreneurial projects, ideas, and companies, running the gamut from building a foldable electric bike to preserving a 500-year-old Irish castle. According to the website, it’s funded about $800 million in projects thanks to at least nine-million backers.
I'm annoyed. @Indiegogo, this is totally deceptive marketing, as I have no campaigns with you. Account deleted. pic.twitter.com/lpnIedMviX
— Karilee Orchard (@karileeo) April 4, 2016
It’s not certain how many users Indiegogo reportedly emailed, but it looks like some of them won’t be starting their own campaigns anytime soon.