Unexpected refund from GoFundMe

We think it’s wonderful that you’ve chosen to support someone in their time of need through GoFundMe. However, because every fundraiser has different circumstances, there can be times when unrequested refunds will be issued. You could receive an unexpected refund because:

The GoFundMe organiser decided to deactivate their fundraiser

The GoFundMe organiser may have decided to deactivate their fundraiser and refund all donors. If you’re a donor, it would be best to get in touch with the GoFundMe organiser for more information. If the fundraiser is still active, you can use the contact button to get in touch with them. If it’s deactivated, we can assist you in contacting them if necessary.

The donation couldn't be verified

The GoFundMe Risk team or our payment processors may proactively refund donations if we’re unable to verify a donor’s identity. These security measures are designed to protect GoFundMe organisers from fraudulent donations. If you’re a donor and would like to contribute again, we can work with our payment processor to verify your identity by reviewing your government-issued ID or a link to your social media, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Please get in touch with us by clicking "Contact Us" on this page to get that process started.

The GoFundMe organiser didn’t verify their account or transfer funds within the required deadlines

Due to federal regulations, our payment processors can’t hold funds for extended periods of time. Our team sends several reminders to the GoFundMe organiser to help them with the transfer process.

If a GoFundMe organiser doesn’t verify their account within the required time frame, their donations will be automatically refunded in full back to donors. Donors will receive funds back on the card used to make the donation within 3-10 working days.

The donation was disputed with a card issuer

Donors have the right to dispute their donation with their card issuer. This usually happens if the donor doesn’t recognise the charge on their bank statement.

This results in the card issuer pulling the funds from the GoFundMe organiser’s payment account (not their personal bank account). If you’re a GoFundMe organiser, read this article to learn more about addressing a disputed charge.

The donation was made by the GoFundMe organiser

GoFundMe organisers aren't allowed to donate to their own personal fundraisers, even if the donation was given to you by someone else by cash or cheque.

This can be seen as a cash advance in the banking world and these donations will need to be refunded.