Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Tuesday, along with 21 attorneys general and charitable regulators, sent a letter to GoFundMe, after reports that GoFundMe created unauthorized and deceptive donation pages without the consent of charities. In the letter, the coalition shares its grave concerns about GoFundMe’s misconduct and calls for immediate remedial measures, including providing proof that GoFundMe has removed all unauthorized donation web pages, in the next 14 days.
“GoFundMe’s misleading attempt to capitalize on the good work of more than a million charities is deeply troubling,” said Nessel. “Charities serve their communities and should not be used as vehicles for financial gain. GoFundMe must prove that it has fully rectified these issues and clearly explain what it’s changing to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
GoFundMe provides an internet platform for people to fundraise and solicit donations, including for charities. GoFundMe is a for-profit Delaware corporation headquartered in California and is registered with the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers as a charitable fundraising platform. Without their prior consent or knowledge, GoFundMe created donation web pages for over 1.4 million charities. The donation pages contained inaccurate information about charities and GoFundMe’s solicitations were deceptive and misleading.
In the letter, the coalition raises potential violations by GoFundMe under numerous state charitable solicitation and consumer protection laws and demands that GoFundMe take the following actions immediately:
• Provide proof that GoFundMe has removed all unauthorized donation web pages.
• Disclose to potential donors all information that would affect their decision to donate, including disclosing that the named charity itself will not necessarily get the money.
• Explain what actions GoFundMe has taken to avoid its web pages pushing the web pages of charities out of internet search results.
In sending this letter, Nessel joins the attorneys general and charitable regulators of California, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
GoFundMe has stated in media reports that all unauthorized fundraising pages have been removed. While the Department of Attorney General does not now need to get complaints from organizations that may have been affected by a GoFundMe page that has been taken down, Attorney General Nessel encourages any charities in Michigan that believe an unauthorized GoFundMe campaign is currently being conducted using their name or identity to file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Team:
Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form at https://secure.ag.state.mi.us/complaints/consumer.aspx
“GoFundMe’s misleading attempt to capitalize on the good work of more than a million charities is deeply troubling,” said Nessel. “Charities serve their communities and should not be used as vehicles for financial gain. GoFundMe must prove that it has fully rectified these issues and clearly explain what it’s changing to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
GoFundMe provides an internet platform for people to fundraise and solicit donations, including for charities. GoFundMe is a for-profit Delaware corporation headquartered in California and is registered with the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers as a charitable fundraising platform. Without their prior consent or knowledge, GoFundMe created donation web pages for over 1.4 million charities. The donation pages contained inaccurate information about charities and GoFundMe’s solicitations were deceptive and misleading.
In the letter, the coalition raises potential violations by GoFundMe under numerous state charitable solicitation and consumer protection laws and demands that GoFundMe take the following actions immediately:
• Provide proof that GoFundMe has removed all unauthorized donation web pages.
• Disclose to potential donors all information that would affect their decision to donate, including disclosing that the named charity itself will not necessarily get the money.
• Explain what actions GoFundMe has taken to avoid its web pages pushing the web pages of charities out of internet search results.
In sending this letter, Nessel joins the attorneys general and charitable regulators of California, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
GoFundMe has stated in media reports that all unauthorized fundraising pages have been removed. While the Department of Attorney General does not now need to get complaints from organizations that may have been affected by a GoFundMe page that has been taken down, Attorney General Nessel encourages any charities in Michigan that believe an unauthorized GoFundMe campaign is currently being conducted using their name or identity to file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Team:
Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form at https://secure.ag.state.mi.us/complaints/consumer.aspx
