Associated Community Services, Inc.
Also known as: ACS.
The FTC and 46 agencies alleged that Associated Community Services and related defendants used deceptive fundraising calls, including illegal robocalls, to collect more than $110 million. The defendants agreed to settle.
Resolved. Refunded, settled, ceased operating, or the claim did not hold up. Kept for the record.
Identity
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- Registrations
- FTC v. Associated Community Services, Inc. (FTC case 162-3208, 2021)
- Jurisdictions
- United States (federal)
Agencies alleged a large deceptive telefunding operation
The FTC and 46 agencies from 38 states and the District of Columbia alleged that Associated Community Services and related defendants used deceptive charitable fundraising calls. The operation made 1.3 billion calls to 67 million consumers and collected more than $110 million through the solicitations, according to the documents.
The complaint alleged that organizations receiving the fundraising services spent little or no money on the causes named in calls, in some cases as little as one tenth of one percent. The defendants kept as much as 90 cents of each dollar solicited. The causes presented to donors included support for homeless veterans, people affected by house fires, breast cancer patients, and children with autism.
The FTC also alleged illegal use of prerecorded soundboard messages and harassing call volumes. The release says the ACS defendants had faced 20 prior law enforcement actions for their fundraising practices and stopped operating in September 2019. The current complaint and stipulated final orders were filed in federal court in March 2021. Settlement terms would bar the ACS defendants from fundraising and from telemarketing goods or services. A $110,063,843 judgment against Associated Community Services and specified related defendants was suspended due to inability to pay.
What is not established
The documents describe allegations and stipulated settlements. They do not report findings reached after a trial.
Sources
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- Enforcement action March 4, 2021
- Enforcement action March 31, 2021
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First recorded March 4, 2021 · Last updated March 31, 2021