Tap-to-Pay Funeral Scam Drains $5K in Seconds
By Greg Collier
This story may sound like an urban legend, but it is very real and has affected multiple people across Chicago. It begins with what appears to be a plea for help. A young man approaches a passerby and says his younger brother has died. He claims the family cannot afford a funeral and asks for a small donation. The appeal is emotionally charged and convincing. Most people just want to help.
But this isn’t about helping. It’s about stealing.
The scam has surfaced at well-trafficked locations, including major intersections and shopping centers. The setup is nearly identical each time. A grieving sibling, a tragic backstory, and a refusal to accept cash. Instead, the victim is asked to donate using tap-to-pay on a cell phone. The unsuspecting donor thinks they are sending ten or twenty dollars. In reality, thousands are being drained in seconds.
Victims have reported being hit with two back-to-back charges totaling nearly $5,000. Notifications often arrive after the scammers have fled in waiting vehicles. In one case, a man even chased the suspects down and briefly wrestled with one in a moving car. He recovered his money. Others have not been so lucky.
Card issuers have responded by emphasizing the importance of their fraud review processes. Some victims have been offered provisional credits while investigations proceed. Others are still waiting, stuck in limbo as banks review their claims.
This scam works because it hijacks empathy. It relies on the human impulse to help those in need. It manipulates emotion, bypassing the critical thinking that might otherwise make someone pause before tapping a phone.
The best way to avoid this kind of scam is to never hand your device or payment method to a stranger. If someone is truly in need, there are safer ways to donate or support them. Suggest giving through a known charity or offering food, not funds. Be cautious when asked to pay directly on another person’s phone. If something feels off, trust that instinct.
A legitimate cause will not pressure you to bypass safer methods of donation. Any story, no matter how heartbreaking, does not justify the theft of thousands of dollars.
Helping others should not leave you in financial ruin.
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