Integral Resources, Inc., will pay a $105,000 settlement after the company allegedly solicited Ohio residents with misleading charitable calls, Attorney General Mike DeWine announced on Monday.
The settlement is part of a lawsuit filed by DeWine in 2013 against the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based professional soliciting business. The suit alleged that the business' representatives didn’t tell callers that they were professional solicitors, then mislead consumers by not being clear as to where their money would go, or that their money was going to a business and not a charity.
“Under the terms of this settlement, Ohioans will be better protected from misleading charitable solicitations,” DeWine said. “Professional solicitors are for-profit businesses that collect money for charities, usually keeping a significant portion for themselves. While this is legal under Ohio law, solicitors must give proper notice to consumers and follow applicable rules.”
As part of the settlement, the company must change its business practices, comply with Ohio charity laws and ensure that its employees are following a telemarketing script. If they follow these rules and pay the settlement, they will still be allowed to continue to conduct business in Ohio.