Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, joined by 21 other attorneys general and charitable regulators, has sent a letter to GoFundMe following reports that the company created unauthorized and misleading donation pages without the consent of charities. The coalition is demanding that GoFundMe provide proof within 14 days that all such pages have been removed.
“GoFundMe’s misleading attempt to capitalize on the good work of more than a million charities is deeply troubling,” said Attorney General 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 operates an online platform for fundraising, including campaigns for charitable organizations. The company, registered as a charitable fundraising platform in California, reportedly created donation pages for over 1.4 million charities without their knowledge or approval. These pages sometimes contained incorrect information about the charities, and the solicitations were described as deceptive.
The letter from the attorneys general points to possible violations of state laws governing charitable solicitation and consumer protection. The group is asking GoFundMe to take immediate steps: provide evidence that unauthorized donation pages have been removed; fully disclose to donors any information that could affect their decision to give—including clarifying when a named charity may not receive funds; and explain measures taken to ensure its own web pages do not overshadow those of actual charities in search results.
Attorney General Nessel’s office joins colleagues from states including 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 in this effort.
GoFundMe has stated publicly that all unauthorized fundraising pages have been taken down. However, Michigan charities who believe there are still unauthorized campaigns using their name are encouraged by Nessel’s office to file complaints with the Consumer Protection Team.
Dana Nessel serves as Michigan’s 54th attorney general and leads efforts focused on public service and resident protection throughout the state. The Michigan Department of Attorney General works statewide to safeguard residents through various initiatives such as supporting vulnerable populations and influencing policy reform like drafting expungement legislation. More details about these efforts can be found on the official website.
