Should she give her coworker the money, even if she suspects that her financial troubles are less severe than she claims? 

Have you ever seen a GoFundMe that walked the line between scammy and legitimate? If you are donating money to a total stranger who claims that they are in desperate need of funds for rent, food, and medical bills, there’s a nonzero chance that they are not who they say they are. If you’re going to give money to an e-beggar, you have to be okay with the fact that your money might not be going to a struggling single mother who is trying to keep her lights on. It might go to a NEET living in his mom’s basement, whose main source of income is ripping people off. If you’re okay with that, then feel free to donate to as many GoFundMes as your heart desires! But many people aren’t okay with that, which is why they donate to charities rather than donate directly to individuals. When you donate to charity, you have no idea exactly who reaps the benefits of your charity! If you donated to people you know, you might be less willing to do so if you knew exactly how they spend their money.