Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 68 - Donations and Conveyances for Pious and Charitable Uses
Section 28 - Deceptive Practices Prohibited

Section 28. (a) No charitable organization, professional fund-raising counsel, commercial co-venturer or professional solicitor subject to the provisions of sections eighteen to thirty-five, inclusive, shall use or exploit the fact of registration so as to lead the public to believe that such registration in any manner constitutes an endorsement or approval by the commonwealth. (b) No person shall, in connection with the solicitation of contributions for or the sale of goods or services of a person other than a charitable organization, misrepresent to or mislead any one by any manner, means, practice or device whatsoever to believe that the person on whose behalf such solicitation or sale is being conducted is a charitable organization or that the proceeds of such solicitation or sale will be used for charitable purposes if such is not the fact. (c) No person shall in connection with the solicitation of contributions or the sale of goods or services for charitable purposes represent to or lead any one by any manner, means, practice or device whatsoever to believe that any other person sponsors or endorses such solicitation of contributions, sale of goods or services for charitable purposes or approves of such charitable purposes or a charitable organization connected therewith when such other person has not given consent to the use of his name for these purposes. Any member of a board of directors or trustees of a charitable organization or any other person who has agreed either to serve or to participate in any voluntary capacity in the campaign shall be deemed thereby to have given his consent to the use of his name in connection with the progress of such campaign. (d) No person shall make any representation that he is soliciting contributions for or on behalf of a charitable organization or shall use or display any emblem, device or printed matter belonging to or associated with a charitable organization for the purpose of soliciting or inducing the contribution of funds from the public without first being authorized to do so by the charitable organization. (e) No commercial co-venturer or professional solicitor shall solicit in the name of or on behalf of any charitable organization unless he has in his possession the written authorization of two officers of such organization, a copy of which shall be filed with the division, and exhibits such written authorization on request to any person solicited, to any police officer or to any agent of the division. Such authorization shall bear the signature of the solicitor and shall state on its face the period for which it is valid, which shall not exceed one year from the date issued. (f) No person or organization shall claim to be a representative of a veterans' charitable organization with the intent to solicit contributions that benefit or profit any person or organization other than the veterans' charitable organization.

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