SEATTLE, WA – Washington’s Attorney General is warning residents to be cautious when approached by charities requesting donations through tap-to-pay smartphone transactions, following reports of significant unauthorized charges last holiday season.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, multiple consumers reported being approached near Seattle’s waterfront in 2024 by individuals claiming to represent a group called the Youth Upliftment Society. The organization is a for-profit LLC, not registered as a charity with the Washington Secretary of State and not recognized by the IRS as a public charity.

Reports indicated the solicitors—described as young, well-dressed men—offered music CDs in exchange for small donations. After donors agreed to pay modest amounts, the solicitors suggested using tap-to-pay on their phones. Later, donors reviewing their bank statements discovered vastly inflated charges — in one case, a $15 donation became a $4,800 charge; another donor who agreed to give $20 found a nearly $5,000 charge.

State officials urge donors to avoid using tap-to-pay for charitable giving unless they carefully review transaction details before tapping. Washington residents are also encouraged to verify an organization’s legitimacy through the Secretary of State’s charities database or trusted third-party evaluators such as CharityWatch, Charity Navigator, or the Better Business Bureau’s Give.org.

The alert comes during International Charity Fraud Awareness Week, as agencies highlight ways to prevent scams and ensure donations reach legitimate organizations. Anyone who believes they may have been targeted or charged fraudulently is encouraged to file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.