GoFundMe adds tips to donations without user consent, new class action lawsuit claims

Sandra Donovan of Illinois and Ebony Baker of Georgia filed a class action lawsuit against GoFundMe Inc. on Aug. 6, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The complaint alleges GoFundMe added preselected tips to online donations without clearly telling donors the charge was optional or obtaining their affirmative consent.

The plaintiffs' experiences

Donovan claims she made a $50 donation through GoFundMe on March 27, 2026. GoFundMe added an $8.25 tip to her transaction, and she did not know the charge existed or that she could remove it, the lawsuit alleges.

Baker says she had a similar experience after donating $10 on Sept. 14, 2025. Her transaction included a $1 tip to GoFundMe that she claims she never selected. Both women claim they would not have paid the tips if GoFundMe clearly explained the charges.

The reported checkout process

The complaint’s screenshots show donors selecting a donation amount near the top of the checkout page. Below that amount, the screenshots show a slider displaying a preselected percentage tip and a payment summary with a separate “GoFundMe tip” to the total.

Donors must notice the tip and move the slider to 0% to avoid the added charge, the lawsuit alleges. The plaintiffs call this a negative option, a checkout design that treats a person’s failure to act as acceptance. They claim the small type and page layout make the tip easy to overlook and do not clearly identify it as optional.

The suit also challenges checkout language stating GoFundMe has a 0% platform fee for organizers and “relies primarily on the generosity of donors” to operate. The plaintiffs claim this description misleads donors because GoFundMe charges transaction fees on donations in addition to collecting tips.

GoFundMe says donors can choose zero

In a March response to state regulators addressing similar concerns, GoFundMe said its tipping process remains fully optional and transparent. The company said donors can move the slider to 0%, see the tip as a separate line item before payment and understand that tips support the platform rather than the featured charity.

GoFundMe disputed some of the regulators’ factual and legal characterizations. The letter predates this lawsuit and does not address Donovan and Baker’s specific allegations.

The legal claims

The complaint brings two claims against GoFundMe:

  • Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, alleging GoFundMe added tips without affirmative consent and misrepresented their nature and purpose
  • Georgia Fair Business Practices Act, claiming the same checkout practices misled Georgia donors and caused financial losses

The plaintiffs seek restitution, actual and statutory damages up to three times the actual damages for intentional violations, an order changing the challenged practices and legal costs.

What the lawsuit means for GoFundMe donors

Donovan seeks to represent Illinois residents who paid GoFundMe a preselected tip during the applicable legal period. Baker proposes a parallel class for Georgia residents.

The court has not certified either class. There is no settlement, claims process or payout exists. The allegations remain unproven.