Recently a Georgia based nonprofit fundraising in Tennessee was fined $45,000 in civil penalties. The following article from the Tennessee Attorney General, published on December 23, 2014, tells the story:

A Civil Penalty Imposed Against Charitable Organization Over Misleading Fundraising

A civil penalty of $45,000 has been imposed against NSPIRE Outreach, a Georgia-based organization also known as Hope House or Hope for Domestic Violence, for soliciting contributions using false or misleading practices.

Specifically, the group has falsely represented that it works with other organizations with which it has no affiliation. Additionally, numerous individuals have filed complaints with the Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming because they continued to receive calls requesting donations even after requesting to be removed from the group’s call list.

“It’s very important for charitable organizations not to misrepresent themselves when dealing with potential donors,” Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. “They should be who they say they are and deliver the services they promise to deliver. Also, if people request that they not receive further solicitations, those requests should be honored.”