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Twenty-two state attorneys general and charitable regulators are demanding answers from GoFundMe, giving the popular fundraising platform two weeks to prove it is not defrauding donors and charities.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is leading the effort, joining counterparts from 21 other states in sending a formal letter to GoFundMe. The coalition wants the platform to disclose all unauthorized donation pages, reveal who received donations, and explain how those pages appear in internet search results. They also want GoFundMe to review whether so-called "tips" and other charges should be redirected to the charities themselves.
"Full transparency is absolutely necessary on online platforms soliciting and advertising donations," Sunday said.
The investigation stems from a controversy that began in mid-October 2025. According to fundraising consultancy TrueSense Marketing, GoFundMe automatically created more than 1.4 million donation pages for registered U.S. nonprofits — without their knowledge or consent. The platform used public data from Internal Revenue Service (IRS) records and the PayPal Giving Fund to build the pages, saying the goal was to make it easier for donors to find and support nonprofits.
But the move drew sharp criticism. Many organizations discovered online fundraising pages in their name that they had never created or approved. On top of that, each of those auto-generated pages included an optional "tip" feature, suggesting donors add an extra 14% to 16.5% to support GoFundMe itself, in addition to existing transaction fees.
That combination — unexpected pages and added fees — raised serious concerns about donor trust and transparency, particularly at a time when online giving scams are widespread.
GoFundMe's own terms of service state that the platform "does not solicit donations" and does not "act in any capacity that requires registration, licensure, or compliance as a Professional Fundraiser." However, attorneys general across the country are questioning whether the auto-generated pages and tip features cross that line.
Following public backlash, GoFundMe announced several corrective actions, though the attorneys general are pressing for full disclosure and formal accountability. The coalition's two-week deadline puts pressure on the company to respond before any potential regulatory action is taken.
It is not yet clear whether the inquiry will lead to formal legal action, fines, or required changes to how GoFundMe operates its platform.