Tap-to-Pay Charity Scammers Steal Up to $5,000 by Inflating Small Donations

2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 26

$15 and $20 charity taps were turned into charges of $4,800 and nearly $5,000 after scammers entered far larger amounts before donors authenticated the payment.
The fraud exploits habit rather than a flaw in contactless technology: once a victim approves the displayed amount, the payment system treats it as an authorized purchase.
Brentwood police warned in January about solicitors outside stores using tap to pay, Square or Cash App to collect supposed donations that left some victims out thousands.
The main defenses are to keep your phone in your hand, verify the amount before tapping, avoid rushed street donations, and give only through a charity's official channel.
Anyone who spots an inflated charge should contact their bank or card issuer immediately, save transaction evidence, review financial apps, and report the scam to law enforcement or the FTC.