An Egyptian blogger has turned herself in to police after allegedly deceiving thousands of social media followers into donating millions of pounds by falsely claiming she had cancer, authorities said on Thursday, according to Gulf News.
Donia Fouad, based in Ismailia, is accused of collecting up to four million Egyptian pounds through repeated online appeals in which she claimed the money was needed to pay for cancer treatment. Medical tests later confirmed she did not have the disease. Police had arrested her husband for questioning earlier as part of an investigation into the fundraising campaign. Shortly afterwards, Fouad surrendered to authorities, as per the news report.
In a public post on her official Facebook page, Fouad admitted she had fabricated the illness entirely. "I am mentally ill and need treatment. Please help me. I did this because I needed attention, and I admit I was wrong and deserve what is happening to me," she wrote.
She went on to say that she had found emotional comfort in the concern shown by others while she pretended to be sick. She said her husband's worried looks and the support of followers had given her significant psychological relief. Fouad also acknowledged that she had previously refused advice from those around her to seek professional mental health support.
Some of those who donated money to Fouad have since begun taking legal action against her, with cases being filed on the grounds of online fraud. The incident has drawn significant attention in Egypt, raising broader questions about accountability for social media influencers and the vulnerability of online audiences to emotional appeals.
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