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. Many of the other complaints to the FTC about the political committee and its related groups said fundraisers used spoofed numbers and violated the law by calling them even though they were on the Do Not Call list, while others said they had been misled or even harassed by fundraisers. Discovery Company. And it's very easy to catch the eye of someone.". In telemarketing calls, DPSF fundraisers told people that donations would be used for grants to disabled officers and to the families of officers slain in the line of duty. Just hang up. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. Many legitimate charities support local firefighters and police, active duty military, and veterans, or their families. SCAM: National Police Support Fund donation. Montana Attorney General Tim Fox posted on Facebook last year about a call he received from Roy on behalf of the National Coalition for Police and Troopers. Continuously redirected to the toll free number provided which cut out each time it was listed. You can find more information about "who is the National Police Support . Here are the Top 7 Amazon scam calls. Read Also: Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, 2021 KnowYourPolice.net This would allow me a chance to talk to your wife about considering further contributions. Eagerly he asked if I was comfortable with that amount. Around 200 consumer complaints have also been made to state and federal regulators about the super PAC, its aliases and related groups. It turns out Police and Fire Retirees of Ohio is a legitimate non profit lobbying group, though it is not a charity under IRS rules. I came across ScamPulse.com warning people about donating to the NPSF . It was found that only 2.7% of donations to the relief fund actually went to the families of fallen officers. Super PACs are able to raise unlimited amounts of money, which they can use to advocate for political candidates or causes. And some are outright scams. Only one replied directly: 90 percent went to fundraising, and 10 percent went to police support. Cookie Notice Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much The union has recently claimed to have more than 100,000 members, but the IUPA has reported around 20,000 members in tax filings. These are Americas heroes. Videos on its site show cities in flames and say that officers have been injured during what the group describes as riots presumably referring to recent Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd. So have we all. Concerns of Police Survivors. The Committee for Police Officers Defense, the telemarketers who called me, applied for tax exemption in California. United Police Fund / National Police Fund scam harassment. How a donation will be used, or how much of the donation actually goes to the charitys programs. Sadly, it comes down to their choice of words during a pitch; its unlawful to misrepresent how the money will be spent. The tour began with 18 members of law enforcement, who rode from New Jersey to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. Their impact and transparency ratings: The Police Unity Tour holds a Financial rating of 84 out of 100 from Charity Navigator. Only one replied directly: 90 percent went to fundraising, and 10 percent went to police support. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. A charity is only one type of nonprofit. Pearl S Buck International's stated purpose is to provide opportunities to explore and appreciate other cultures, build better lives for children around the globe and promote the legacy of our founder by preserving and interpreting her National Historic Landmark home. The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. National Police Support Fund brings together Americans from all walks of life united under the banner of respect and support of our nation's law enforcement officers. He seemed okay with it. Super PACs generally have far fewer state-level reporting requirements and are regulated by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which has fewer enforcement options than the IRS. She said she was told the group was a charity benefiting police and troopers. generic photos, there is no real content validating that they do anything to actually support the police. ThePAC, organized by Zachary Bass, spent 90% of its take on fundraising, campaign filings show. The safest way to donate on social media or crowdfunding campaign is to give to people you actually know. And soon, you say, sure, why not? About $1.8 million went toward the salaries of union officials, including $199,700 for Cabral, the president. Have a problem?Send me an email, at jmatarese@wcpo.com or message me on Facebook. The latter is the name of the PAC I found earlier that had raised $3.2 million in contributions. Just change the state to your state and verify the charity is listed with your state attorney general's office, or another regulatory office (each state has different requirements). What they do: The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League aims to minimize juvenile crime through outreach programs that pair officers with youth. Email us: watchdog@cnn.com. Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. proudly complies with state regulations and required disclosures. 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. 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! A hustle is like the 70s disco dance. Javascript must be enabled to use this site. The union is run by a retired police detective, and it is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the countrys biggest federation of unions, which did not respond to requests for comment. Recommended Reading: How To Become A Desk Police Officer, Also Check: Can Police Help Me Unlock My Car. National Police Support Fund is a grassroots political organization that is committed to aligning the interests and needs of police officers with the public's issues and concerns within the national political process. Many donors say they believed they were supporting a charity that helps local officers. Instead, theyre independent, expenditure-only political action committees, or super PACs. Police Protection Fund. It's always a variation of the above name. He instead provided me with their national number. National Police Support Fund is a grassroots political organization that is committed to aligning the interests and needs of police officers with the publics issues and concerns within the national political process. This person spoke broken english and told me to donate using credit card. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Police Unity Tour was founded in 1997 by Patrick Montuore, a police officer from New Jersey. The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police is a real organization, but protect yourself and ask questions when you receive calls like these. When a charitys fundraiser calls to ask you for a donation, they have to follow some rules: A: We engage in activities aimed at supporting our law enforcement officers and standing up for their rights and values throughout the political process. While some donors believe they are donating to . 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. It sounded like the solicitor was calling from a boiler room, where individuals dial from a list of working phone numbers. Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor specializing in campaign finance and political corruption, said the fact that the super PAC had spent such a huge proportion of its contributions on its own expenses was jaw dropping and that it was equally concerning to hear that fundraisers were going after the elderly who they may consider easy marks.. For anyone interested in supporting law enforcement, experts say, think local. 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. In the wake of tragedies large and small, they pop up like mushrooms after a rain. The usual claiming they were legitimate. I confronted him that if they were legit, why it was that they are labeled as a scam operation. A union receptionist also confirmed to CNN that the super PAC is run by the union, but union leaders did not respond to repeated calls, voicemails and emails that laid out the concerns from other police departments and donors and asked why so little of the $10 million raised went toward political activities. In fact, former employees of these types of fundraisers have testified about how they used soundboard technology to play prerecorded messages as responses, in part so they could talk to several donors at once. . Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. . The groups videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. For more information, please see our The I.U.P.A. The National Police Association files amicus brief opposing Oregon's attempt to criminalize law abiding gun owners. He said that although it is more expensive for super PACs to solicit small donations which is what this one is doing spending so much on operations and so little on political activities is unusual. Read our full report on the organization here, https://bit.ly/3xMbldo. Here are a few ideas to help you give safely: Con artists refer to what they do as a hustle. I told him that there is no such thing as a National Police Trust Fund. Wendy Beckman got a call the other day from a man asking her to help retired police and firefighters. 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! He said his father has always leaned heavily Democratic, supported President Barack Obama and previously expressed strong anti-Trump views. Terms & conditions/privacy policy apply https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com/terms-of-service/, Contributions to the National Police Support Fund are not tax deductible. It was found that only 2.7% of donations to the relief fund actually went to the families of fallen officers. Virginia incorporation papers show James Fotis is president of the Alliance and changed the name to the Defense Coalition. Ive become suspicious after reading what they had to say . Find out now: How much do I need to save for retirement? On each call, my questions about how donations got spent mostly went unanswered. highest-volume phone messages in most major U.S. markets, A caregiver discovers questionable charities are targeting her parents for their money, Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term -43% off the standard annual rate, Access exclusive discounts, programs, & services, Double down with a FREE second membership. . Tax records show the Fotis organization that phoned me raised $75,000 in 2021, up from $50,000 the year before. This all looks very peculiar, said Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School who specializes in campaign finance.
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