Kim Kardashian Cautions Fans About 'Horrible' Wildfire Donation Scams Using Her Name To Defraud Victims
By Favour Adegoke on January 13, 2025 at 7:00 PM EST
Kim Kardashian has warned fans about scam fundraisers using her name to exploit Los Angeles wildfire victims.
The reality TV star shared photos of fake emails sent to people to defraud them on her Instagram Stories.
This comes after Kim Kardashian praised firefighters, including underpaid incarcerated individuals risking their lives, and called on Governor Gavin Newsom to raise their wages.
Kim Kardashian Exposes Wildfire Donation Scams
Kardashian recently took to Instagram to caution her followers to stay alert for scams after her name was falsely linked to a fake fundraiser claiming to support victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Warning fans about fraudulent fundraising emails using her identity, the SKIMS founder shared an image of one scam email posing as a campaign she supposedly launched.
"Beware of scammers! This is not real. If anyone gets an email like this. How horrible," Kardashian captioned the photo on her Instagram Stories.
She pointed out another suspicious email titled "Kim Kardashian Campaigns For Affected People In LA."
Reacting to the email containing grammatical errors, the billionaire said, "This email is NOT me!"
Kardashian urged her fans to verify any fundraising efforts before donating.
Kim Kardashian Expresses Gratitude For Firefighters
Kardashian, 44, owns a home in the gated community of The Oaks, which is near the heart of the wildfire disaster.
She recently showed gratitude to the firefighters bravely battling the relentless wildfires sweeping across Southern California.
"I have spent the last week watching my city burning. And have seen and spoken to many firefighters who are up all night long using every ounce of their strength to save our community," she shared.
Kardashian added, "Thank you to @calfire la County Fire and Los Angeles City Fire for everything you are doing to save lives, homes, and property."
The Reality TV Star Called For Fair Pay For Incarcerated Firefighters Risking Their Lives In LA Wildfires
In another post, Kardashian shed light on the contributions of incarcerated firefighters battling the Los Angeles wildfires.
She highlighted that "on all 5 fires in Los Angeles, there are hundreds of incarcerated firefighters, risking their lives to save us" while working grueling "24-hour shifts" in the Palisades and Eaton fires.
"They get paid almost nothing, risk their lives, some have died, to prove to the community that they have changed and are now first responders. I see them as heroes," Kardashian stated, per the Daily Mail.
She explained that these firefighters earn nearly nothing, just $1 an hour since 1984, to "risk their lives," adding that the "pay hasn't been adjusted for inflation or the worsening fire conditions, despite many losing their lives in service."
Kardashian revealed that "this year there was an agreement to raise the incarcerated firefighter pay to $5/hour, but it got shot down last minute."
Urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to take action, she wrote, "I am urging @cagovernor to do what no Governor has done in 4 decades, and raise the incarcerated firefighter pay to a rate that honors a human being risking their life to save our lives and homes."
Kim Kardashian Praises Formerly Incarcerated Firefighters For Protecting Her Community
Kardashian also shared her heartfelt thanks to the firefighters who helped protect her community from the Kenneth Fire, which broke out on Thursday.
Due to the blaze, the mother-of-four and her family were temporarily evacuated from their Calabasas and Hidden Hills properties. However, evacuation orders were later lifted as the fire came under control.
Now 80% contained, the Kenneth Fire has seen progress, and an arson suspect has been arrested.
On social media, Kardashian wrote, "I want to thank the firefighters from the @calfire Ventura Training Center for saving my community when it started burning this week."
She emphasized that these firefighters are "all FORMERLY incarcerated firefighters who have come home and want to continue serving our community as firefighters."
The reality TV star continued: "Due to bills passed by @antirecidivismcoalition, these guys can now get their sentences reduced, expunging the felonies from their records for their fire service. And when they come home can get six-figure jobs working for the fire departments."
How Bad Are The Los Angeles Wildfires?
According to reports, the wildfires have wreaked unimaginable havoc in the southern part of the City of Angels, consuming over 40,000 acres of land.
The disaster, which began earlier this week on Tuesday, has reportedly left 24 persons dead, with more than 200,000 evacuated as efforts are being mounted to contain its spread.
More than 12,000 structures, including homes and businesses, have been burned down as dry conditions and powerful winds served as fuel for the blazing inferno.
Some celebrities have been affected by the disaster, having their beautiful multi-million dollar Mansion burned down.
The homes of Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, Anthony Hopkins, Tina Knowles, John Goodman, Candy Spelling, Milo Ventimiglia, and Miles Teller were among those destroyed.