Sheriff Chris Nanos of Pima County is warning the public not to donate to GoFundMe or other fundraising campaigns that claim to support the search for missing Arizona woman Nancy Guthrie, saying none of them are official and that scammers are trying to profit from the high-profile case.
In a statement shared on social media this week, the sheriff's office said there is "no official GoFundMe or any fundraising effort associated with the Guthrie investigation."
Officials said posts and pages claiming to raise money for search costs or investigative expenses are not authorized and may be fraudulent. The department added that any such schemes will be investigated, according to People.
The warning comes as Guthrie, 84, remains missing more than seven weeks after authorities said she was taken "against her will" from her home near Tucson on Feb. 1.
The case has drawn national attention because Guthrie is the mother of "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, prompting widespread public interest and offers of help. Investigators say that attention has also created an opening for scammers to target well-meaning supporters.
Nanos said costs such as billboard messages about Guthrie's disappearance are being covered through official channels, not online fundraisers, Fox49 reported.
The sheriff's office stressed that anyone claiming donations are needed for billboards, rewards, or search operations is misrepresenting how the investigation is funded. Authorities are urging people to verify any appeals through the sheriff's office or federal partners before giving money.
Federal and local agencies, including the FBI, continue to work the case, which is being treated as an abduction. Investigators have used tools such as genetic genealogy to analyze evidence from Guthrie's home while following up on tips from around the country. Officials say financial scams can drain resources and distract from efforts to find Guthrie.
As the investigation enters its eighth week, the FBI and Sheriff Nanos have also highlighted new lines of inquiry, including a closer review of activity on specific dates in January and expanded analysis of surveillance footage from Guthrie's neighborhood.
Federal agents are seeking additional video from around Jan. 24 and the days immediately before Guthrie's disappearance, while forensic specialists examine previously recovered images of a masked figure seen near her home.
Authorities say these efforts are aimed at refining the timeline and identifying anyone who may have watched or approached the house in the weeks leading up to the abduction.
Authorities are asking anyone who encounters suspicious fundraising pages tied to Guthrie's name or image to report them to law enforcement. Members of the public with credible information about Guthrie's disappearance are urged to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff's Department, as per Entertainment Now.
