Woman suspicious after calls to help police. If you have been contacted via telephone and asked to make donations to the National Police Foundation in Washington, D.C., this is a scam. So, the next time you get this call, hang up. When I asked which state this drive was for, the caller could not answer and instead said it is for a national charity. He never would have given money to any group if he knew that some of that money was going to pro-Trump campaign ads, said Busse. The group's videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. Im calling on behalf of the National Save the Police Fund,* the voice on the phone told me. If you want to donate money for your police or fire department, send your contribution to the local sheriff or chiefs directly. If a charity is forced to move its headquarters to a new state on account of the dodgy dealings and underhand practices its been getting up to in its old home, anyone with any sense should know to keep well away, Unfortunately, the United States Deputy Sheriffs Association is well versed enough in manipulation to convince even the most well-meaning of folk that its still a cause worthy of their support. Find Best Charities To Donate | Charity Ratings, Reviews Law Enforcement for a Safer America has raked in nearly $10 million in donations from January 2019 to June 2020, according to data reported to the Federal Election Commission. "The words police and words firefighter are not trademarked," Kemerer explained, "so it is very easy for scammers to use those names and create fake organizations. An image from Law Enforcement For A Safer America PAC's Facebook page. Charity Navigator - Rating for National Police Association Inc. It also concerned him that so many prospects were elderly. On 10/29/20 a man called to get pledges for national police support fund. And that is likely the point. Instead, their contributions end up with a super PAC, Law Enforcement for a Safer America, which has ties to a controversial union and spends the majority of its money on its own operating costs. And the Morton Police Department in Illinois posted on Facebook about calls from a mysterious phone number with a local area code last year. Donating to help police or other first responders Some telemarketers who claim to be raising money for causes like homeless veterans and cancer victims work for political action committees , not charities, and keep much of the money they raise. Dozens of fake charities scammed donations for veterans the pocketed The Wilmington Police Department has no association with this organization and we have never even heard of them, stated a May release from the department. Similarly, the Police Coalition of America, which promises "to enact positive change and legislation that protects our citizens as well as our law enforcement," spent $530,000 on . by Michelle Diament, April 2008. Type of a scam Charity. I was contacted in Wilton, CT by representatives of the National Police Support Fund. The call came to Get Gephardt to investigate who exactly it is that's making those calls. Another telemarketing employee reached by CNN in the Philippines confirmed this, saying he solicited money on behalf of the super PAC and the IUPA using audio recordings of someone who sounded like they were actually calling from America, and that most of the people they reached were elderly adding he felt it was a scam because they didnt realize what they were actually donating to. Can the police officers count on you?. And it's very easy to catch the eye of someone.". Big corporations dispute sponsoring a Florida police charity that . Read Also: What Are The Steps To Becoming A Police Officer. CONSUMER ALERT: AG Shapiro Warns of Scams Related to Donations for Across the industry, calls are computer-generated before being routed to telemarketers, something Politicause and TPFE employees said allowed their firms to maximize the number of calls and to pester people repeatedly. Among the other warnings: The Miami Township Police in Ohio issued a scam alert in June referencing calls circulating from a Police Officers Support Association asking for credit card donations. The Reading Police Department in Massachusetts described the Police Officers Support Association as a scam charity last year. I received a phone call asking me to donate to National Police Support Fund I was going to give them my debit card number over the phone but changed my mind at the last moment. So have we all. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. He said his father served in the Navy for nearly two decades and was always proud of his service. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. A warning tonight about calls targeting people around the Tri-State asking them to help support the police. An employee who said he previously worked for two companies that raised money for Law Enforcement for a Safer America said that at his more recent job, callers were instructed not to disclose that they were calling on behalf of a super PAC. I did satisfy my rather small donation at their website https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com . Hope Cancer Fund The Tampa Bay Times and The Center for Investigative Reporting broke the charities up into five main categories: children, cancer, police/law enforcement, veterans, fire and other. In about 7 years (through March 2018), the union and relief fund spent a total of approximately $102.3 million, of which $82.3 million went towards fundraising. I received a call today from someone from The National Police Support Fund, who claimed to be collecting money for a drive. After I rejected he offered some booster donations of 15,25, 35 dollars to Goodwill or other organizations. Wendy Beckman got a call the other day from a man asking her to help retired police and firefighters. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. HARRISBURG Attorney General Josh Shapiro is warning Pennsylvanians to be on the lookout for bogus fundraising calls that purport to benefit the families of Martin F. Mack and Branden T. Sisca, the two fallen Pennsylvania State Police troopers tragically killed in the line of duty on I-95 South in Philadelphia. Especially after a tragedy or military-related event, fundraisers and causes show up on social media and people create crowdfunding campaigns to help those affected. The BBB said days later, the New Jersey State Police photo had been removed from the site. : r/Scams. Read Also: Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, 2021 KnowYourPolice.net But as I learned, these callers are masters at evading any such disclosure. The robot voice saying the call would be recorded for record purposes sounded so real but it was just him. All Rights Reserved. Here are the Top 7 Amazon scam calls. Gotten calls like this? Is National police Support Fund legit? Is National Police Support Fund Legit - KnowYourPolice.net I also learned that they were sued in the biggest FTC case in history. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. National Association of Police Organizations :: Home - NAPO Law Enforcement for a Safer America officials did not return repeated requests for comment. Law Enforcement for a Safer America does not disclose on its website who is running the super PAC, but public filings reveal that leaders of one of the countrys largest police unions are pulling the strings. Please do your homework and avoid scams and misleading appeals for your hard-earned money.. It was raising money using four different police-oriented names (one "association," two "coalitions" and one "support fund"). Its made up of series of regular steps timed to the beat of the music that can be improvised as needed. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Also worth noting is that while his organization is based in Virginia, and gets its mail in Stafford, TX, Fotis lives in Lake Worth, FL. Individual officers can also become members, according to its website. Its been a tough couple years for local law enforcement. Sara Kemerer of the Cincinnati BBB says you should look them up at the bureau's website, www.bbb.org, or at Charity Navigator.org, or Guidestar.org. Many of these names could easily be confused with public charities, such as Autism Speaks, National Association of Police Organizations, or Veterans Assistance Foundation. The result: a rise in super PACs that use sympathetic-sounding causes primarily to line their own pockets (the FEC has called this subset scam PACs). Do police call for donations? AARP Membership LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. Eagerly he asked if I was comfortable with that amount. The funds raised during their 4-day long ride are donated directly to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. I later learned the organization is based in Fairfax, VA, and is a political action committee, or PAC. Years later, as the success of the program and its activities grew, six chapters on the east coast decided to convene and discuss how athletics could be incorporated into the organizations programs. KENNER, LA (WVUE) - The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office warns of a scam from the "American Police Officers Alliance" asking for donations for law enforcement. proudly complies with state regulations and required disclosures. We do not support nor do we condone this group, the post stated. FEC filings show that of the group's minimal political spending, most has gone toward pro-Trump advertising such as billboards. The fund is a real nonprofit organization, but it is a political group created "primarily to influence the selection, nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates to federal, state or local public office. The National Police Association files amicus brief opposing Oregon's attempt to criminalize law abiding gun owners. To promote the prevention of juvenile crime and violence by building relationships among kids, cops and community through positive engagement. This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. Below are a few tips for screening for legitimate charities. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try When I asked which state this drive was for, the caller could not answer and instead said it is for a national charity. Trade groups like those that represent the fast food or soft drink producers operate as nonprofits. An IRS report was filed on July 26. This comes at a time when some community activists have been calling for defunding the police. Many donors say they believed they were supporting a charity that helps local officers.