Metro Nashville police say a slick new twist on an old fundraising pitch is hitting local shopping spots, and some shoppers are walking away with a lot less in their bank accounts than they bargained for.
According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, groups of young people have been approaching customers at busy shopping centers and claiming they are collecting money for school teams. Instead of cash, officers say the kids are increasingly pushing card readers and third-party payment apps, and some victims later discovered unauthorized charges on their accounts.
In a warning shared on Facebook, the department said officers have seen an uptick in these reports at popular shopping complexes. Police say the groups accept payments through phone-based apps or credit and debit devices, then quickly change the transaction amount to steal money. Some people have lost thousands of dollars. The post urges shoppers not to donate via payment apps or cards and to call 615-862-8600 if they encounter these groups.
How the trick works
Police say the scam leans heavily on a quick social-engineering move. The seller asks to use a customer's phone to accept a donation or card payment, then uses the unlocked device to access linked payment apps or change the amount before the victim realizes what is happening.
A 2023 investigation by ABC7 New York documented a similar setup. In that case, victims who handed over their phones later found large, unauthorized withdrawals funneled through their own payment apps.
How to protect your money
The Federal Trade Commission advises treating peer-to-peer payment apps like cash. That means not sending money to strangers, not handing your phone to anyone who asks to "run" a payment, and turning on PINs or multi-factor authentication on any payment apps you use.
The agency also notes that it can be tough to get your money back once a transfer is authorized. If you think you have been scammed, the guidance is to contact your bank and the payment app right away and report the fraud through the Federal Trade Commission reporting site ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Metro Police say anyone who sees groups matching this pattern should call the department's non-emergency line at 615-862-8600 and file a report so officers can investigate. The Metro Nashville Police Department lists that number and other contact options for reporting non-emergency incidents.
