The case seeks to cover Illinois donors suing under Illinois' Consumer Fraud law and Georgia donors suing under Georgia's Fair Business Practices Act who paid a preselected GoFundMe tip. A putative class action is a lawsuit filed for a larger group, subject to court approval. Sandra Donovan of Illinois and Ebony Baker of Georgia filed the case in Illinois federal court in August 2026. The Independent reported the filing centers on claims that donors were led to pay optional company tips, as described in the Independent report.
Official resource:
- Read the official notice from Theherald News — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- Who falls inside the proposed groups?
- What payments do the plaintiffs describe?
- How did the checkout allegedly work?
- What limits coverage right now?
Who falls inside the proposed groups?
The Illinois group covers donors in Illinois who paid the preselected tip and seek relief under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. The Georgia group covers donors in Georgia who paid the same type of tip and seek relief under the Fair Business Practices Act.
Shaw Media Herald-News described both proposed state classes in the Herald-News account. Both groups focus on people who paid, not people who noticed the tip and removed it. The key test is whether the checkout added the tip by default.
- Illinois donor who completed a GoFundMe gift with an added tip
- Georgia donor who completed a GoFundMe gift with an added tip
- Tip was preselected rather than affirmatively chosen
What payments do the plaintiffs describe?
Donovan, from McHenry, alleges a $50 donation received an $8.25 tip without her affirmative consent. The amount raised her total well above the gift she intended for the fundraiser.
Baker, from Snellville, alleges a $10 donation received a $1 tip in the same checkout flow. Her smaller gift shows the claim is not limited to large donations.
How did the checkout allegedly work?
The complaint alleges checkout preselected the tip and obscured that it was optional or removable. A donor could therefore believe the extra charge was required to complete the gift.
It also alleges GoFundMe says it relies primarily on tips while also collecting transaction fees. GoFundMe's own pricing page states donor support for GoFundMe is optional and never required, as shown on GoFundMe's pricing page.
What limits coverage right now?
A court has not certified the Illinois and Georgia classes. The groups are proposals, so no donor is yet included automatically and no payment process exists.
GoFundMe terms updated June 23 require arbitration and waive class-action and jury rights. Readers should therefore save receipts, confirmation emails, bank records, and screenshots showing the donation, tip, total charge, and date.
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