Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue reportedly relaxed its fraud prevention policies twice during the 2024 campaign, according to internal documents. The changes, made in April and September 2024, resulted in more lenient standards that allowed between 14 and 28 additional fraudulent contributions per month.
Until January 2024, ActBlue allowed donations without a card verification value (CVV), and even after implementing new guidelines, staff were instructed to “look for reasons to accept contributions.” The company’s fraud-prevention specialist also shifted focus to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work, while aiming to keep missed fraud rates under 10%.
By December 2024, records revealed that hundreds of fraudulent donations from countries including Brazil, Colombia, India, Iraq, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia had been directed to Democratic campaigns. ActBlue did not require CVVs for online transactions, which led to donors giving beyond their means or to opposing parties, triggering state-level investigations and a racketeering lawsuit from a Wisconsin Republican strategist.
A communications memo in early 2024 advised making changes to the CVV policy quietly and distancing CVVs from the concept of security, despite acknowledging risks like money laundering. Between September 2022 and November 2024, ActBlue reported 1,900 fraudulent transactions, though House Republicans claim the actual number is much higher.
Seven senior ActBlue officials have resigned since February, and lawmakers have requested Suspicious Activity Reports from the Treasury Department. ActBlue raised nearly $2 billion for Democratic campaigns in the 2024 election cycle, including $46.7 million to Kamala Harris’ campaign following her nomination.
