Backing a project
How do you check a crowdfunding campaign before you back it?
Check four things before you back: who the creator is, how specific the plan is, whether the goal fits the reward, and how the creator answers a question. A real creator can be found outside the campaign, says what the money buys and by when, and answers you clearly.
Who is behind the campaign?
Look for a name you can find somewhere else: a company, a portfolio, earlier work, a profile with a history. A creator who exists only inside their campaign is asking you to trust a stranger with no past.
We don't check anyone's identity, so the name on a campaign is simply what its creator typed. The checking is yours, and a quick search is usually enough.
Is the plan specific enough to be wrong?
Real plans have numbers that could turn out wrong: what the money buys, in what order, by when, and what happens if a supplier is late. Vague plans lean on adjectives and polished renders, because detail can be checked.
A photo or a short video of a rough prototype beats any render. It shows the thing already exists in some form.
Does the goal fit the reward?
On a good campaign, the goal is about what making the reward costs, and the reward is worth about what you pledge for it. A big goal with a reward nobody would buy on its own usually has one real plan: the money.
Read the reward tier you're backing word for word. It's the creator's promise to you, and what you can hold them to.
How big should a goal be?
About the real cost of making and delivering the rewards, fees and shipping included. The goal planner shows how a creator works that out, so you can see whether a goal looks honest.
How does the creator answer questions?
Ask something in the comments or by message before you back. A creator who answers clearly, and says what they don't know yet, is a good sign. One who dodges is telling you something too.
If they've run a campaign before, see how they kept its backers posted. Specific news about problems is what separates a late project from an abandoned one.
Your next step
Pick a campaign you like and run these checks on it, then read its escrow to see its goal and deadline for yourself. If something feels off, how to spot a fake campaign covers the warning signs.