A charge labeled “ZEFFY” on your credit card statement is a payment processed through Zeffy, a free fundraising platform that nonprofits use to collect donations, event tickets, memberships, and similar transactions. If you see a Zeffy charge on your credit card and the amount looks higher than you expected, the total likely bundles two things: the amount that went to the nonprofit and an optional contribution to Zeffy itself that you were asked to add at checkout.
Why the Amount May Be Higher Than You Gave
Zeffy doesn’t charge nonprofits any platform, transaction, or card processing fees. It funds itself through voluntary contributions donors can add during checkout. The prompt appears twice during checkout, and a dropdown suggests amounts set by an algorithm; the donor can adjust it or set it to zero.1Zeffy. Zeffy Really Is Free, No Fees, No Catch
Both amounts are bundled into a single charge on your statement.2Zeffy. What Is the Contribution Made Towards Zeffy So a $50 donation with a $7 tip to Zeffy shows up as one $57 line item. Zeffy’s own site acknowledges the tip prompt “can sometimes confuse donors.”3Zeffy. Zeffy Reviews Third-party reviews report default tip percentages around 15–17%, that declining requires selecting “other” rather than a straightforward “no,” and that a $400 registration defaulting to an additional $40-plus feels misleading.44aGoodCause. Donorbox vs Zeffy
Figuring Out Which Nonprofit Charged You
Every Zeffy transaction appears on statements with a descriptor that begins with “ZEFFY,” followed by text the nonprofit can customize.5Zeffy. Disputes and Chargebacks Check your email for a confirmation or receipt from Zeffy around the date of the charge. The receipt names the organization that received the funds and lists the donation amount and the Zeffy contribution separately. You’ll need that information to request a refund of either part.
Getting the Donation Portion Refunded
Refunds for the donation itself have to be arranged with the nonprofit that received the money. The organization processes the refund through its Zeffy dashboard. Card payments are refundable within 180 days of the payment date. ACH and Canadian PAD payments become refundable only after a 60-day security delay.6Zeffy. Issue Refunds and Manage Cancellations
If the nonprofit has enough of a Zeffy balance to cover it, refunds typically reach your original payment method within 5 to 10 business days. If the balance is insufficient, it takes longer, because Zeffy first has to debit the organization’s bank account.
Getting the Zeffy Contribution Refunded
The tip is treated as a separate transaction, and nonprofits can’t refund it. You have to request it yourself. Open the transaction receipt in your Zeffy confirmation email and click “Learn more” next to the contribution details to start the request.7Zeffy. Voluntary Contribution Refunds on Zeffy Once processed, funds typically appear within 5 to 10 business days.
One thing to know: refunding the donation does not automatically refund the Zeffy contribution. If you want both back, you need to request each one separately.
When You Don’t Recognize the Charge at All
If the charge looks fraudulent or you can’t find any record of a donation or ticket purchase, you can file a dispute (chargeback) with your card-issuing bank. The bank temporarily reverses the charge while it investigates. Zeffy then has 30 to 40 days to submit evidence of the transaction on behalf of the nonprofit, and the bank can take another 30 days or more to reach a decision. The whole cycle typically runs about 90 days.5Zeffy. Disputes and Chargebacks
If you file a dispute and then realize the charge was legitimate — a forgotten donation or a ticket you bought months ago — contact your bank to withdraw the dispute. Zeffy recommends the nonprofit obtain written confirmation of the withdrawal and share it with Zeffy’s team. While a bank dispute is active, the standard refund option through Zeffy is locked, so the dispute has to be withdrawn before any refund can be processed through the platform.5Zeffy. Disputes and Chargebacks