GoFundMe Tip Lawsuit, Were You Affected? Donovan, et al. v. GoFundMe, Inc., No. 1:26-cv-09423

If you’ve ever donated on GoFundMe and later noticed your total was higher than the amount you typed in — you weren’t imagining it. A proposed class action filed August 6, 2026, claims GoFundMe automatically adds a “tip” of up to 17.5% to donations, without asking first, and makes it hard to find or remove. Two donors, one in Illinois and one in Georgia, say they paid tips they never agreed to.

GoFundMe Tip Lawsuit — Key Facts

Lawsuit Filed	August 6, 2026
Defendant	GoFundMe, Inc.
Alleged Harm	Default “tip” charges added to donations without consent
Law Alleged	Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act; Georgia Fair Business Practices Act
Who Is Affected	Illinois and Georgia donors who paid a preselected “tip” on a GoFundMe donation, within the statute of limitations
Court & Case Number	U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, No. 1:26-cv-09423
Current Stage	Complaint filed; GoFundMe has not yet filed a public response
Lead Plaintiff Deadline	N/A — not a collective/opt-in action
Settlement Status	No settlement. No claim form exists.
Last Updated	September 11, 2026

Who Is GoFundMe and Why Are They Being Sued Over Tips?

GoFundMe is the largest for-profit crowdfunding platform in the country, built specifically for personal and charitable fundraisers. It doesn’t charge organizers a platform fee — instead, the lawsuit says it leans on a “tip” prompt at checkout to fund the business, while quietly pocketing separate transaction fees it charges the fundraisers directly. That combination is what makes this a tip lawsuit and not just a fee dispute: the complaint says donors are told the money supports “the generosity of donors like you,” while the real funding source goes undisclosed.

What Did GoFundMe Do, and When?

According to the complaint, GoFundMe’s checkout screen works like this: a donor picks a dollar amount, and the moment that number appears on screen, GoFundMe automatically pre-selects a 17.5% “tip” for itself — no click, no checkbox, no opt-in. The tip line sits in small font below the donation amount, and the only way to remove it is to find a sliding scale and drag it down to zero, something the suit says most donors never notice.

Plaintiff Sandra Donovan of McHenry, Illinois says she donated $50 on March 27, 2026, and got charged an $8.25 tip she never chose. Plaintiff Ebony Baker of Snellville, Georgia says the same thing happened on a $10 donation on September 14, 2025 — a $1 tip added without her say-so. Both say GoFundMe’s checkout text claims the company “relies primarily” on tips to operate, when in fact it also collects separate transaction fees from every organizer’s fundraiser — a fact the complaint says GoFundMe never mentions to the person actually donating.

This isn’t the first time GoFundMe’s tip practices have drawn scrutiny. In March 2026, a coalition of 21 to 23 state attorneys general — including Illinois’s — sent the company a formal letter over a related issue: unauthorized donation pages the company had built for 1.4 million charities, paired with concerns about that same default tip. GoFundMe responded in writing that its tipping setup is “fully optional and transparent,” pointing to language it says clearly discloses the charge. That dispute — company statement against consumer complaint — is essentially the same fight now playing out in federal court.

Are You Part of the GoFundMe Tip Lawsuit?

Here’s exactly how to know if this touches you.

You may be covered if:

• You live in Illinois or Georgia
• You made a donation through GoFundMe’s website within the applicable statute of limitations
• Your total included a “tip” line you didn’t specifically choose or type in yourself
• You didn’t realize the tip could be adjusted or removed before completing the donation

You’re likely not covered by this specific suit if:

• You live outside Illinois or Georgia — this complaint only proposes classes for those two states so far
• You manually selected or typed in a custom tip amount, knowing it went to GoFundMe
• Your donation went through a different platform’s checkout, not GoFundMe.com directly

GoFundMe Donors Outside Illinois and Georgia — Are You Still Covered?

Not by this particular lawsuit. The complaint proposes two state-specific classes — one under Illinois law, one under Georgia law — so donors elsewhere aren’t included unless and until a similar case is filed where they live, or this one expands. If you’re outside those two states, an employment or consumer-fraud attorney can tell you whether your state has a similar law worth pursuing separately.

Not sure if you qualify for the GoFundMe tip lawsuit? A free consultation with a consumer fraud attorney can help you figure out whether your own donation history and location support a claim.

What Are GoFundMe Donors Asking the Court to Award?

No money has been awarded, and there’s no settlement or claim form. The lawsuit asks the court to certify the case as a class action, declare GoFundMe’s tip practice unlawful, and order the company to pay back the tips it collected this way — plus, under the Georgia claim, triple damages for what the suit calls intentional violations, along with attorneys’ fees.

What Could GoFundMe Donors Receive If This Case Succeeds?

There’s no way to predict a number yet. The suit doesn’t specify an amount, and any recovery would depend on how many donors are found to qualify and how a judge rules on the underlying deception claims. Talk to a consumer protection attorney before assuming any particular payout.

What Should Affected GoFundMe Donors Do Right Now?

1. Most donors don’t need to do anything immediately — this is a proposed class action, and no claim form exists yet.
2. Check your GoFundMe donation receipts or bank/card statements for a “GoFundMe tip” line you don’t remember choosing.
3. Save those receipts and statements now, in case you want to join or file a related claim later.
4. Note the date, amount, and state you were in when you donated — both matter for this specific case.
5. Watch for a court ruling on class certification, since that will determine who’s actually covered.
6. If you believe you were harmed and want to act sooner, a consumer fraud attorney can advise you on individual options.

GoFundMe Tip Lawsuit — Full Timeline

Milestone	Date
Plaintiff Baker’s donation with disputed tip	September 14, 2025
Plaintiff Donovan’s donation with disputed tip	March 27, 2026
Multistate AG coalition sends demand letter to GoFundMe	March 3, 2026
GoFundMe’s written response to the AG coalition	March 13, 2026
Class action complaint filed	August 6, 2026
GoFundMe’s response deadline	UNVERIFIED — not yet listed in records reviewed
Next scheduled hearing	UNVERIFIED — no hearing date on file yet
Expected resolution	UNVERIFIED — case is in its earliest stage

GoFundMe Tip Lawsuit — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 1:26-cv-09423

Is there a class action lawsuit against GoFundMe for its default tips right now?

 Yes. Donovan, et al. v. GoFundMe, Inc., No. 1:26-cv-09423, was filed August 6, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleging GoFundMe adds tips to donations without consumer consent.

Do I need to do anything right now to be part of the GoFundMe lawsuit?

No. This is a proposed class action and hasn’t been certified. There’s no form to fill out or step to take yet if you’re an Illinois or Georgia donor who may qualify.

When will the GoFundMe tip lawsuit resolve?

 There’s no timeline yet. The case was just filed and GoFundMe has not filed a public response in the records reviewed for this article.

Can I file my own lawsuit against GoFundMe instead of joining this one? 

Generally, once a class action is filed, individual class members don’t need to file separately — but if you live outside Illinois or Georgia, or want individual representation, an attorney can advise on your specific options.

How will I find out if the GoFundMe tip lawsuit settles? 

Federal court dockets are public record, and consumer-law outlets typically report major developments in prominent cases like this one. An attorney can also monitor the case for you.

What does the lawsuit say GoFundMe’s tips are actually used for? 

The complaint alleges GoFundMe primarily funds its operations through separate transaction fees charged to fundraisers, not the donor tips it describes at checkout — and that GoFundMe never discloses this to donors.

What specific laws does GoFundMe allegedly violate?

 The complaint cites the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act, and references the federal Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act as supporting authority for its “negative option” theory.

How much could affected donors get if this case succeeds? 

It’s too early to say. The complaint asks for repayment of the tips collected this way, plus triple damages under the Georgia claim and attorneys’ fees, but no dollar figure has been set.

Sources Used in This GoFundMe Tip Lawsuit Article

• Court Filing — Class Action Complaint, Donovan, et al. v. GoFundMe, Inc., No. 1:26-cv-09423 (N.D. Ill., Eastern Division, filed Aug. 6, 2026)
• New Jersey Office of the Attorney General — official press release on the March 2026 multistate letter to GoFundMe: https://www.njoag.gov/attorney-general-davenport-demands-proof-that-gofundme-has-removed-plagiarized-charity-web-pages-and-stopped-hiding-fees/
• GoFundMe, Inc. — official written response to the multistate attorneys general letter, March 13, 2026: https://www.gofundme.com/c/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Response-CA-AG-Multistate-Letter.pdf

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. Facts verified against the filed complaint and official government and company sources on September 11, 2026. Last Updated: September 11, 2026.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.