Consumer Alert: Watch out for potential scam charities requesting donations via tap-to-pay

Washington consumers should be on the lookout for possible scams involving charities requesting donations via a smartphone through the tap-to-pay feature.

In the 2024 holiday season, the Consumer Protection Division of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office (AGO) received multiple reports of individuals soliciting near the Seattle waterfront claiming to be collecting donations for a charity called the Youth Upliftment Society. Youth Upliftment Society is organized as a for-profit LLC. It is not registered with the Washington Secretary of State as a charitable organization and is not listed with the IRS as a public charity (501(c)(3)).

According to reports, the solicitors were young, well-dressed men who were trying to sell music CDs in exchange for donations.

Individuals agreed to give modest donations to the solicitors. The men then offered to accept the donation using the tap-to-pay feature on their phone. The donors agreed but did not review the transaction details. When they reviewed their financial statements at a later date, they discovered donations that were much larger than they had authorized. In one example, someone agreed to give $15 but later identified a charge for $4,800. In another example, the donor agreed to give $20 and later found a charge of nearly $5,000.

Donors are encouraged to avoid using tap-to-pay features to make donations or, at a minimum, review the details of the transaction before you tap your payment method. Donors should always do their research before giving. Visit the Secretary of State’s charities search page to determine if a charity is registered or visit third-party rating companies like the Better Business Bureau’s Give.org, CharityWatch, or Charity Navigator. Learn more about tap-to-pay scams from the Better Business Bureau.

During International Charity Fraud Awareness Week, learn more about how to protect yourself from a range of different scams and ensure your generosity benefits legitimate charities.

If you believe you’ve been a victim of a charity scam, file a complaint with our office.

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Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

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