Full report available here.
Although tax exempt non-profit charities that conduct their own telemarketing are not covered by the TSR, the USA PATRIOT Act, passed in 2001, brought charitable solicitations by for-profit telemarketers within the scope of the TSR. As a result, most of the TSR’s provisions now are applicable to “telefunders” — telemarketers who solicit charitable contributions on behalf of non-profit charities. Continue reading “Federal Trade Commission: Complying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule”
The Secretary of State issued a cease-and-desist order against the Southern Maryland Veterans Association, along with principal Dan Brashear, and alleged former associate Norman Randolph McDonald. Continue reading “Maryland Officials Shut Down Charity Which Claimed To Help Veterans But Allegedly Misled Donors”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane’s office today announced a recent Commonwealth Court ruling imposed a civil penalty of $10.8 million on two individuals who will be barred from soliciting charitable donations in Pennsylvania until the penalty is paid in full. The two men were previously sued by the Office of Attorney General following allegations they deceptively collected charitable donations for fundraisers organized by firefighters unions in the western part of the state. Continue reading “Pennsylvania: $10.8 million penalty imposed on Ohio men accused of deceptively collecting charitable donations”
Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced today that his office has mailed restitution checks totaling more than $20,000.00 to 265 consumers as part of a judgment in a lawsuit filed against KLMN Readers Services, Inc., a Florida door-to-door magazine sales company that based its Virginia operation out of Chesapeake. The lawsuit alleged that the company sold magazine subscriptions with no intention of providing the magazines, failed to honor certain terms of its agreements, lied about subscriptions that would be donated to charities and soldiers overseas, and failed to issue refunds as required by law. The suit was filed in Chesapeake City Circuit Court and the Commonwealth won judgments against the company in September 2014 and March 2015.
