NEW YORK, NY (January 20, 2010) - Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that his office has filed lawsuits to shut down four professional fundraising companies that lie, manipulate, and deceive to get charitable donations. During telemarketing calls, these four companies consistently violated New York laws by disguising their status as paid professional fundraisers and lying about the programs that the donations would support. The lawsuits against the four companies - Caring People Enterprises, Inc., Marketing Squad, Inc., Stage Door Music Productions, Inc., and Suffolk Productions, Inc. - are part of the Attorney General’s ongoing initiative to fight fundraising scams and to make sure generous donations from New Yorkers are being properly collected and used. Over the past three years, these companies have collectively reported raising $16 million. On average, they keep seventy-six percent of the funds raised.