An appeal from GoFundMe appeared in my inbox just a few minutes ago.

Here’s an excerpt:

In a few seconds, we’ll ask you to support workers in your community who rely on hourly wages and tips.

Is there any way you could rush $20 before midnight? Let us explain why?

Our friends and neighbors who rely on hourly wages and tips are suffering.

Many have lost their jobs or seen their income disappear overnight.

We know many folks are struggling right now — but if you can afford it, hourly workers could really use your help.

If we get 2 more gifts from your city before midnight, we’ll hit our goal and help hourly workers pay for food and other basic needs.

So we’re asking: Will you rush in $15, $20, or whatever you can afford before midnight to help local hourly workers survive this crisis??

Our neighbors who rely on hourly wages and tips have lost everything.

They don’t have money for basic needs.

They’re counting on you.

Thanks so much,

– The whole team at GoFundMe

There’s just so much wrong with this appeal.

I don’t think this is a scam, meaning any donations probably aren’t going to find their way to a Nigerian prince.

But it still lacks any of the information you should have in hand before even considering sending cash in reply to an online appeal.

It isn’t really anonymous, but is GoFundMe the recipient? Is there some separate fund that will handle any money raised?

How much of each donation will go directly to “workers…who rely on hourly wages and tips”?

How will be be distributed? To whom? How will recipients be selected?

Well, some of these questions are answered if you click through a couple of levels.

It seems the money contributed will go to two organizations: Robin Hood in New York City, which has been providing stability to under-resourced communities across NYC for more than 30 years, and Tipping Point Community, a foundation that began in 2005 with the mission to break the cycle of poverty for people living in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Well, actually, not all the money. GoFundMe will first take its “standard transaction fee,” which according to their website is 2.9% plus $0.30 fee per donation. The appeal has already generated $1.1 million in donations. By my count, that means about $32,000 in transaction fees have been paid directly to GoFundMe, and the 30 cents per contribution would add another 1.5% to the suggested $20 contribution.

None of the money raised will, despite the “hook” in the appeal, go to “workers in your community who rely on hourly wages and tips.” Unless “your community” happens to be New York City or San Francisco.

Why weren’t the recipient organizations identified right up front in the initial appeal? Perhaps because they want potential donors in all other parts of the country to wrongly assume that some money would get through to their friends and neighbors.

I call that misleading.

Be a wise consumer, even of fund appeals that appear to match your values.