By Katie Northcott, News Director
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett announced on Tuesday, March 3, that he, along with 23 attorneys general and charitable regulators had demanded that GoFundMe remove all plagiarized donation webpages for charities nationwide.
Find more details in the press release published below.
Secretary of State Tre Hargett today along with 23 attorneys general and charitable regulators, sent a letter to GoFundMe, after reports that GoFundMe plagiarized donation web pages for charities nationwide without their prior knowledge or consent. In the letter, the coalition shares their 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.
“The practices of GoFundMe potentially violate several state charitable solicitation and consumer protection laws, and our office must be vigilant in protecting Tennessee’s donors and registered charitable organizations,” said Secretary Tre Hargett. “We are pleased to stand with other states in safeguarding our citizens.”
GoFundMe provides an internet platform for people to fundraise and solicit donations, including 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 prior consent or knowledge of charities, GoFundMe plagiarized donation web pages for over 1.4 million charities. The donation pages contained inaccurate information about charities and GoFundMe’s solicitations contained deceptive and misleading acts.
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 all information that affects a person’s decision to donate, such as who donations were made to in lieu of the charities GoFundMe plagiarized.
- Explain how GoFundMe ensured its donation web pages did not display in internet search results above a charity’s official web sites or fundraising campaigns.
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