Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, along with 21 other attorneys general and charitable regulators, has called on GoFundMe to provide evidence that it has removed all unauthorized and deceptive donation pages from its platform. This request follows reports that GoFundMe created donation pages for charities without their consent or knowledge.
In a letter sent to GoFundMe, the coalition expressed serious concerns about the company’s actions and requested immediate corrective steps. They asked GoFundMe to show proof of the removal of all unauthorized web pages within 14 days.
“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 as an online fundraising platform for individuals and charities. The company is registered in Delaware, headquartered in California, and listed as a charitable fundraising platform with regulatory authorities. According to the letter, GoFundMe set up donation pages for over 1.4 million charities without their approval, sometimes including inaccurate information about those organizations. The coalition stated that these actions may violate various state laws regarding charitable solicitation and consumer protection.
The letter outlined several demands: proof of removal of unauthorized donation pages; full disclosure to donors about whether named charities will receive funds; and an explanation of how GoFundMe will prevent its own web pages from displacing official charity sites in search results.
Attorney General Nessel joined counterparts 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 sending this letter.
GoFundMe has stated in media reports that all unauthorized fundraising pages have been taken down. While Michigan’s Department of Attorney General does not currently require complaints from organizations affected by now-removed GoFundMe pages, Nessel encouraged any Michigan charity that believes an unauthorized campaign using its name or identity remains active to file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Team.
The Michigan Department of Attorney General plays a role in protecting residents statewide through public service initiatives such as efforts against human trafficking and support for vulnerable populations (https://www.michigan.gov/ag). Dana Nessel serves as Michigan’s 54th attorney general (https://www.michigan.gov/ag), leading the department’s policy work on issues like expungement opportunities under the Clean Slate law (https://www.michigan.gov/ag).
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