4. again. I was contacted in Wilton, CT by representatives of the National Police Support Fund. I got a call from them saying it was the time of year to start up the donation drive, and the phone operator tries his best to kay in with a guilt trip to get you to "donate." 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. BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - From unmarked strip-mall offices in small-town Alabama, the calls go out across the United States, meant to talk people into giving . 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. Our movement is comprised of tens of thousands of Americans from all walks of life who are joined together by their common respect for the rule of law and united in their support for the police officers who put their lives on the line every day in their communities. He was donating to anyone who asked him for money, he said. In a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission, another woman, whose name was redacted, said she received multiple calls from the National Coalition for Police and Troopers, one of the super PACs various aliases. Police Unity Tour. But whats the truth. Getting 3 to 5 calls a day from 315-410-0874 phone number. ThePAC, organized by Zachary Bass, spent 90% of its take on fundraising, campaign filings show. That is equivalent to 2.7 percent of the $2.7 million the organization raised from donors that year, according to its federal tax return. I again was transferred to another person who wanted my credit card info and stated due to covid they wanted to decrease handling and credit cards was the best way to donate. The Police Officers Defense Alliance, for example, raised $3.2 million in 2020, and The American Police Officers Alliance raised $4.3 million. Its been a tough couple years for local law enforcement. She verified my information and repeatedly asked me to promise to mail it back as soon as I received it. The charitys programs focus primarily on education, mentorship, and athletic activities that empower youth. BREAKING The House just voted to block Biden's woke ESG rule, which would let Wall Street use your retirement savings to fund left-wing political causes. 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. The IRS has pretty broad rules for being a nonprofit organization. I've asked them repeatedly to stop calling this typically results in additional calls back to back from different numbers. Police Protection Fund. Once it was blocked through my service provider, an additional phone number began to call my home multiple times a day. I quickly identified over 70 super PACs with police or law enforcement in their names. One of Fotis websites solicits money for individuals who were guilty of a crime for doing their job the way they were trained to do it. The fundraisers connection to the charity. This policy has been repudiated by a significant number of law enforcement leaders, whose experience has led them to conclude that it would make their communities unsafe. The calls asking for donations come from aliases like the Police Officers Support Association and The National Coalition for Police & Troopers. Law Enforcement for a Safer America officials did not return repeated requests for comment. Unable to verify the federal tax ID, redirected to a toll-free number. While there are no requirements dictating the percentage of money that must go toward political activities, campaign finance expert Rob Pyers has dubbed the group a Scam PAC because of its high operating expenses and negligible political spending. Post has been removed or is no longer public. Oh, god, she said upon being contacted by CNN and learning how the money was spent, Im supposed to be smart, but boy was I a dope.. I did not feel comfortable giving the information over the phone . 2. Below are a few tips for screening for legitimate charities. "The National Police Support Fund is neither a 501(c)3 nor a 501(c)4 organization, but rather a political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. I have asked 5 times to be removed from their call list, but they are still constantly calling, at this point it is harassment and it needs to STOP! After I rejected he offered some booster donations of 15,25, 35 dollars to Goodwill or other organizations. The I.U.P.A. As our conversation continued, the caller would lower the amount of funding he was requesting. Hispanic Federation (New York City) Abandoned Children's Fund. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription toAARP The Magazine. SCAM: National Police Support Fund donation. Just as you sit down to dinner, the phone rings and the caller asks for a donation. See the metrics below for more information. Required fields are marked *. The organization began as a service program providing mentorship and outreach activities to youth as a way to combat juvenile crime. Asking for donations to the National Police Support Fund. AiThority Interview with Lori Anne, Director of Product Development & Management at Verizon, Branded Caller ID: The Pros And Cons In The Battle Against Phone Scams, A New Scam Is Making the Rounds Just in Time for Tax Season, Smishing: The new year is here and so are new scams. The rule of law is being eroded in our communities, and we need true Americans to stand up and join voices in support of the public servants who keep us safe. Government documents show that the founding treasurer is currently an executive at the International Union of Police Associations. Please reload the page and try again. Find out now: How much do I need to save for retirement? One of Fotis websites solicits money for individuals who were guilty of a crime for doing their job the way they were trained to do it. As an example, he cites former Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County in Arizona. National Police Support Fund representatives have been phoning potential donors in the St. Louis area over the past several weeks, including the wife of a retired police officer who said she . On 12/30/2018, I received a call from (862) 333-2411 from a man with a deep voice and a southern accent, who identified himself as Dan, if I would like to make a donation to the National Police Trust Fund. For more information, please see our 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. The pop-up charity business is usually local, occasionally regional and rarely national. I told him that I had some questions for him before I would donate. So I would like to say just beware of scammers , Ive copied the letter I received so in hopes that people will know not to donate unless you are 109% sure it not a scam. "Being that it was a recording right off the bat . Get a FREE subscription to AARP The Magazine. This particular super PACs treasurer is a former cop who was arrested for stealing $50,000 from the police union for which he served as president. Follow John on Instagram @johnmataresemoney, For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com. We use the funds raised from these activities to support elected officials, candidates, and organizations whose goals and values align with our own. President Trump pardoned the sheriff even after the Department of Justice described Arpaio as being responsible for the worst case of racial profiling in U.S. history. I did satisfy my rather small donation at their website https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com . January 11, 2019. Email us: watchdog@cnn.com. Our Police, Firefighters, and all First Responders do need our support. And Law Enforcement for a Safer America appears to be cashing in. The Better Business Bureau conducted an investigation and found . If you are still not sure if your money is really going to the cause, call your local police or fire department and ask how you can donate to them. Please note that many legitimate local (and unaffiliated) police foundations and organizations may solicit donations from local communities via telephone and mail. FEC regulations state that political committees can only deposit a contribution into their account if that money came from a solicitation which expressly states that the contribution will be used in connection with a Federal election or the solicitation discloses that contributions are subject to federal election law. Here are the Top 7 Amazon scam calls. Please let me know if there are any actions ScamPulse.com suggests I take other than ignore any future requests. It's always a variation of the above name. I started rifling through my mail as he gave me the same exact spiel this time saying he represented United Police support fund. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try Read Also: Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, 2021 KnowYourPolice.net National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues. But as I learned, these callers are masters at evading any such disclosure. The first thing I noticed was that I wasnt talking to live people; the answers all sounded scripted and recorded. They would have soundboards with prerecorded bits that would play and give the impression they were talking to a live person but in reality it was just someone playing bits off a soundboard, he said. Please do your homework and avoid scams and misleading appeals for your hard-earned money.. A profit according to Investopedia.com is revenue that exceeds expenses. The Better Business Bureau says if anyone calls or knocks asking you to help the police, the best thing you can do is ask them for information before you agree to donate. Type of a scam Charity. He paused for a few seconds and said "okay, bye" and hung up the phone. The safest way to donate on social media or crowdfunding campaign is to give to people you actually know. Msg&data rates may apply. AARP Membership LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. In the first half of 2021, this organization reported donations of $4.3 million; expenditures were just under $4.2 million, the bulk of this going to overhead fundraising, lawyers, lead lists and so on. National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. A warning tonight about calls targeting people around the Tri-State asking them to help support the police. If your phone rings, it's not us. Recently, the District Attorney's office was made aware of calls from nearby area codes claiming to support local officers injured in the line of duty. Many legitimate charities support local firefighters and police, active duty military, and veterans, or their families. The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. Phony Firefighters Scam. The solution, the letter says, is clear: Give our law enforcement officers the crime prevention tools they need. He said his father served in the Navy for nearly two decades and was always proud of his service. generic photos, there is no real content validating that they do anything to actually support the police. Ive become suspicious after reading what they had to say . The charitys affiliation with the government. 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. See the metrics below for more information. A charity is only one type of nonprofit. I recently took about a dozen of these police-support calls to hear the pitches. We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. Gotten calls like this? Write the names of the shady businesses in the comments section below, too. Its made up of series of regular steps timed to the beat of the music that can be improvised as needed. Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Read Also: How Do You Know If The Police Are Investigating You. It sounded like the solicitor was calling from a boiler room, where individuals dial from a list of working phone numbers. Claire Reiss, 79, said she thought the more than $2,000 she donated would go to injured police and their families, but that she stopped giving away her money when the calls just wouldnt stop. Absolutely no legitimate law enforcement backed organization would stoop to this level of begging for money. He said he wanted a contribution for the police department and man and women who are fighting to protect us. Today, the organization has over 300 chapters across the country working to create positive change in local communities. @GunOwners. The organization began as a service program providing mentorship and outreach activities to youth as a way to combat juvenile crime. Have a problem?Send me an email, at jmatarese@wcpo.com or message me on Facebook. This all looks very peculiar, said Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School who specializes in campaign finance. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Videos on Law Enforcement for a Safer America's website show cities in flames and say that officers have been injured during what the group describes as riots. Registration with any of these state agencies does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by any state. Has anyone else recently seen an uptick and calls from various police support organizations? Published He initially solicited $95 and eventually said he would accept a $15 contribution as an offer of goodwill on my part. "So I really want to support the police for what they do.". For anyone interested in supporting law enforcement, experts say, think local. For the record, on their website, it never calls itself a charity or non . 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. This group purports on various websites that donations are being used to back candidates who will stand up for police and introduce legislation to help officers and provide benefits to families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. It was found that only 2.7% of donations to the relief fund actually went to the families of fallen officers. The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. Together, the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund and the International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO, have spent about $82.3 million 77 percent of their operating expenditures on fundraising services from around 2011 to March 2018, according to a Public Integrity analysis of annual tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue . California resident Kellie Van Westen, 69, said she has family members who are law enforcement officers and that she believed the roughly $1,400 she donated since 2019 would help bolster local police budgets and pay for equipment to keep them safe.. UPDATE 2020-10-29: Another new call from 585-206-3552 with a similar pre-recorded voice auto-responder identifying as 'Jeff Scott' with the National Police Support Fund. Do police call for donations? What they do: ThePolice Unity Tour raises funds and awareness for members of law enforcement who lost their lives during their service. The robot voice saying the call would be recorded for record purposes sounded so real but it was just him. We are just passing along the information if you get a suspicious call asking for money for police officers.. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. They improvise and evolve to stay one step ahead of unsuspecting donors. This Florida-based union touts its federal lobbying efforts on behalf of local members. Recommended Reading: How Many Hours To Become A Police Officer, Read Also: What Education Do I Need To Be A Police Officer. Fake joke to start out. The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The BBB said days later, the New Jersey State Police photo had been removed from the site. But the groups file financial disclosures with federal regulators under only a handful of names. I said no i was told I would be sent a pledge form. We don't engage in telemarketing. This was up from roughly $1 million raised by the group, which was founded in June 2018, in the last six months of the prior election cycle. Why does this matter? Trade groups like those that represent the fast food or soft drink producers operate as nonprofits. And that is likely the point. National Police Support Fund - Alexandria, VA. An elderly man in Trenton, Mi., received a dire letter that warned of the greatest threats to our public safety in our nations history.