Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Kiri Gillespie: Scammers exploiting Whakaari/ White Island death are 'scum'

Kiri Gillespie
By Kiri Gillespie
Assistant News Director and Multimedia Journalist·Bay of Plenty Times·
3 Feb, 2020 07:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Whakatāne couple Rhys Bugden and his late wife, Sheila Cheng, 50, who was killed in a crash on December 14. Photo / Supplied

Whakatāne couple Rhys Bugden and his late wife, Sheila Cheng, 50, who was killed in a crash on December 14. Photo / Supplied

Tragedy brings the best, and the worst, out in people.

As journalists, it is something we see a lot of when covering major events.

When the Christchurch shootings happened, New Zealanders all over this country rallied together to say "no" to racism and support our Muslim brothers and sisters. When Whakaari/White Island erupted on December 9, the nation mourned with our local and international communities as the names of the dead and injured came through.

Vigils were held. Money raised. Candles lit. People were remembered and honoured. This compassion was mirrored, if not led, by local and national leaders and we as a country celebrated that.

Such heart is a beautiful part of what makes us Kiwis – standing up for the little guy.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

But as with most things, there's a flipside.

As reported today, someone has used the death of Whakatāne nurse Sheila Cheng to create a fake crowdfunding page.

Cheng had been taking a few hours' respite from treating Whakaari victims when she was involved in a crash near Rotorua. Her death was tragic enough. Having someone take advantage of other people's grief and goodwill by exploiting her memory makes it so very much worse.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Yet as despicable as this con is, it is a strong reminder to exercise caution when donating money. Just because someone has set up a page for a charitable cause, it doesn't mean it is legitimate.

I had this thought last month, watching online thousands of dollars flow towards Australian bush fire appeals. As those fires burned, dozens of different crowdfunding pages popped up. Some seemed valid. Others were to me suspiciously more than vague in detailing how, where or when donations would be distributed. Yet, the money continued to flow from well-meaning Kiwis wanting to do their bit.

I was perplexed.

Have we become a society so hung up on wanting to do "our bit" in times of crisis that common sense just goes out the door? If so, it's of no surprise that scammers would come in for a feeding frenzy at the first chance.

Discover more

Kiri Gillespie: Okere Falls red tape sad and short-sighted

19 Dec 06:00 PM

Kiri Gillespie: We're getting fat and lazy and we're to blame

05 Jan 06:03 PM

Kiri Gillespie: Harsher penalties needed for fleeing drivers

06 Jan 07:00 PM

Kiri Gillespie: Don't tell me not to eat meat

18 Jan 09:00 PM

It's time we readjusted our goodwill barometer. It is noble to give to others in need, but I believe we need to be smarter.

Scammers preying on the memory of a dead woman who did so much good for others are, in my opinion, bottom-feeding scum who have no place in society.

Let's not make it so easy for them.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

Nine Lotto players win nearly $31k each in Second Division – where tickets were sold

06 Jul 05:31 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

'He's just scared of me': Teen's Māori wards challenge to PM

06 Jul 03:55 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Region's first learning hub for migrant parents a 'transformative step'

05 Jul 06:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Nine Lotto players win nearly $31k each in Second Division – where tickets were sold

Nine Lotto players win nearly $31k each in Second Division – where tickets were sold

06 Jul 05:31 AM

Lotto First Division Powerball was not struck and has jackpotted to $10m on Wednesday.

'He's just scared of me': Teen's Māori wards challenge to PM

'He's just scared of me': Teen's Māori wards challenge to PM

06 Jul 03:55 AM
Region's first learning hub for migrant parents a 'transformative step'

Region's first learning hub for migrant parents a 'transformative step'

05 Jul 06:00 PM
'God-given right': Family defends largely unconsented homestead on rural land

'God-given right': Family defends largely unconsented homestead on rural land

04 Jul 08:45 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP