HARRISBURG, PA — A coalition of 24 state attorneys general, including Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, is demanding answers from GoFundMe after reports the company created donation pages for more than 1.4 million charities without their knowledge or consent.
What This Means for You
- Donations may not always go directly to the charity donors expect.
- State regulators are demanding clearer disclosures about where funds go.
- Consumers who believe they were misled can file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
The coalition sent a letter Tuesday to GoFundMe requesting proof within 14 days that the company has removed all unauthorized charity fundraising pages and implemented safeguards to prevent similar practices in the future.
According to the letter, GoFundMe allegedly created donation pages for charities across the United States in October 2025 without first obtaining permission from those organizations.
State officials say the pages sometimes contained inaccurate information about charities and could give donors the impression that the pages were operated by the charities themselves.
“GoFundMe provides families and communities with the ability to raise money in times of need, but these many unauthorized postings with solicitations confuse donors, while also harming the charities who did not give consent,” Sunday said in a statement. “These unauthorized pages can result in donations not reaching the donors’ intended recipients. Full transparency is absolutely necessary on online platforms soliciting and advertising donations.”
Concerns Raised By Regulators
In the letter, regulators outlined several practices that may have misled donors.
Officials said some donation pages contained incorrect charity names, logos, and descriptions. Others reportedly did not clearly explain that contributions were routed through a donor-advised fund, a charitable giving account managed by a third-party organization rather than the charity itself.
The letter also raised concerns that the pages may have appeared above official charity websites in search results, potentially redirecting donors away from legitimate fundraising campaigns.
Public reports cited in the letter also indicate GoFundMe may have automatically applied a tip of roughly 16.5 percent intended for the company on some donations.
State officials say these practices could violate state charitable solicitation and consumer protection laws that require transparency and consent before organizations solicit donations using a charity’s name.
Actions States Are Demanding
The coalition asked GoFundMe to take several corrective steps.
Among the requests:
- Provide proof that all unauthorized donation pages have been removed.
- Explain how the company will prevent similar pages from appearing in search results above official charity campaigns.
- Disclose key information affecting donors’ decisions, including who ultimately receives the donations and whether fees or tips are applied.
The states also asked GoFundMe to review whether tips collected by the platform should instead be redirected to charities.
Next Steps
The coalition gave GoFundMe 14 days to respond to the letter and verify that the requested changes have been implemented.
The letter was signed by attorneys general and charitable regulators from more than 20 states, including Pennsylvania, California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, and Oregon.
Consumers who believe they may have been misled by a charitable donation made through GoFundMe can file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Attorney General at https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/submit-a-complaint/consumer-complaint/, by calling 1-800-441-2555, or by emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov.
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