There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. On each call, my questions about how donations got spent mostly went unanswered. See the metrics below for more information. 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. Watch out for a new "police support fund" scam. And soon, you say, sure, why not? 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. That way, you avoid all of . First Responders Children's Foundation. The IRS has pretty broad rules for being a nonprofit organization. Simple web searches can show that the 'charitable organization' calling either 1 . What should we investigate next? In the report, National Police Support Fund reported about $61,000 in . 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). But other charities lie about what they do with donations or how much they spend on programs. According to an analysis by The Center for Public Integrity (CFPI), the names of some of these "scam PACs" are listed below. I did satisfy my rather small donation at their website https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com . 7:35 AM EDT, Fri October 16, 2020. Are the money-gathering techniques these scam PACs use illegal? 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. The usual claiming they were legitimate. Here are the Top 7 Amazon scam calls. nationalpolice.org. Simple: less scrutiny. Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, How Long Does It Take To Get Into Police Academy, How Many People Were Killed By Police In 2020, Where To File A Police Report For Car Accident. Political organizations including both the Democratic and Republican parties are nonprofits. For example, a very well known and respected group is the Make a Wish Foundation. 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items. In two words, its not. SCAM: National Police Support Fund donation. The organization also participates in advocacy work to emphasize some of the dangers law enforcement officers face, and the sacrifices they make to protect society. At least seven local police departments from around the country and a state attorney general have issued scam alerts and other notices about these fundraising efforts, warning residents in their communities as recently as this summer that they have no affiliation with this group. A hustle is like the 70s disco dance. The calls, which often target elderly donors, come from a variety of generic and similar-sounding aliases: The Police Officers Support Association, the National Emergency Responders Coalition and the National Coalition for Police & Troopers. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. Sadly, it comes down to their choice of words during a pitch; its unlawful to misrepresent how the money will be spent. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. And that is likely the point. 4. The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Contributions made to National Police Support Fund are not tax-deductible. Here are some things you can do to avoid donating to a fake charity: Pay attention to the charity's name. The mailing scam, which was identified in a CNN article last fall and had already targeted residents in eastern states including Massachusetts and Wisconsin, asks recipients of the letter to donate $20 to an organization misleadingly calling itself the "Police Officers Support Association, PAC" according to Grass Valley Police Sgt. 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. I told him I did not have any money to donate at the moment. How to report a scammer? 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. 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. This person spoke broken english and told me to donate using credit card. 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. The fundraisers connection to the charity. And cops are facing increasing disrespect on the streets as criminals have become emboldened by the wave of anti-cop rhetoric in the news media and by many politicians. National Police Defense Foundation has earned a 81% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. But none of the money being raised actually goes to police departments, according to government records. He said he wanted a contribution for the police department and man and women who are fighting to protect us. 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 . 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. Your email address will not be published. Once it was blocked through my service provider, an additional phone number began to call my home multiple times a day. The International Union of Police Associations and its related organizations go by more than a dozen different names, including the Police Officers Support Association and the National Emergency Responders Coalition. We warn against them because they come off as supportive of the Greenfield Police Department, or the local police, and yet they do not do anything for us, said police Chief Robert Haigh Jr. These tend to be monies for their own agendas, and not based on the locals. A charity is only one type of nonprofit. All Rights Reserved. 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. I told him that there is no such thing as a National Police Trust Fund. Quoting from its website, the Committee for Police Officers Defense is a 527 Committee designed to seek out radical prosecutors, judges and district attorneys. Another organization is named on the website as well The Police Officers Defense Coalition. While several recordings uploaded online show that some callers have briefly mentioned the term PAC or have said that the group is supporting efforts to elect lawmakers to advocate for certain issues, the Montana attorney general wasnt the only person to say the group hadnt identified itself as required. Why does this matter? Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Ask for information, check sites like Charitynavigator.org and then if it all checks out, write that check. Follow John on Instagram @johnmataresemoney, For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. Unless you want your money to go toward lawsuits , take my advice and find another charity to support although preferably one on another list to this one. What should we investigate next? Other policies that the NPA promotes include aggressive stop-and-frisk tactics and broken windows policingstrategies that have resulted in unconstitutional practices that undermine civil liberties. FEC filings show that of the group's minimal political spending, most has gone toward pro-Trump advertising such as billboards. 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. Type of a scam Charity. But whats the truth. 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. 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. To find out more about these organizations, I probed the FEC website, where super PACs report their activity. Up until the latest tax year when the groups appear to have changed how they categorize certain expenditures the pattern was largely the same from year to year: A small number of families received a couple thousand dollars apiece top employees of the union received more than $100,000 apiece and tens of millions went to telemarketers. Getting 3 to 5 calls a day from 315-410-0874 phone number. Simple: less scrutiny. 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. For more information, please see our Please let me know if there are any actions ScamPulse.com suggests I take other than ignore any future requests. You read that correctly. The BBB said days later, the New Jersey State Police photo had been removed from the site. Many of these names could easily be confused with public charities, such as Autism Speaks, National Association of Police Organizations, or Veterans Assistance Foundation. But whats the truth. Being a generous person, she agreed to mail them $50. Here is the BBB caution: https://www.bbb.org/stlouis/news-events/bbb-warnings/2017/national-police-support-fund/, https://www.bbb.org/stlouis/news-events/bbb-warnings/2017/national-police-support-fund/. Terms & conditions/privacy policy apply https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com/terms-of-service/, Contributions to the National Police Support Fund are not tax deductible. And Law Enforcement for a Safer America appears to be cashing in. The union has previously come under fire for hiring allegedly deceptive telemarketers and costly fundraising efforts that benefited its own organization and a police charity it operates. Write the names of the shady businesses in the comments section below, too. I looked up one called Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC, which seemed to be especially active, based on Nomorobos monitoring. Its made up of series of regular steps timed to the beat of the music that can be improvised as needed. Sara Kemerer of the . If they are PACs, the fundraising effort is politically motivated and wont necessarily support San Diego-area officers or deputies or their families. The caller said he was phoning on behalf of the Committee for Police Officers Defense. The man on the other end of the phone is asking for money for the protection of police officers. 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. For example, in 2019, nearly 90% of the organizations income was spent on its programming. The National Police Association advocates Support the Police, and Back the Blue, because Blue Lives Matter. Recommended Reading: How To Become A Desk Police Officer, Also Check: Can Police Help Me Unlock My Car. This organization spends the vast majority of its donations on children. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation (Triangle, Va.) Committee for Missing Children (Lawrenceville, Ga.) Prevent Child . 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! One very common hustle is the name game. When I asked which state this drive was for, the caller could not answer and instead said it is for a national charity. Law enforcement has a tough enough job without having to put up with charlatans masquerading as heroes. For example, in the tax year that ended March 2018, the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund gave 11 families an average of $6,545 apiece. Super PACs are able to raise unlimited amounts of money, which they can use to advocate for political candidates or causes. With tales of woe and heartbreaking images of children or helpless animals, they beg for assistance. Now those same anarchists that rioted and assaulted law enforcement officers are using the Taliban playbook by destroying public statues and monuments while advocating for defunding law enforcement agencies, a narrator states in a video from July, as protests continued across the country. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. I told him that I had some questions for him before I would donate. I should have been more aware that it sounded fishy and of course just saw the ScamPulse.com warning. Law Enforcement for a Safer America officials did not return repeated requests for comment. You read that correctly. The Greenfield, Massachusetts, police department warned about the group last year as well. 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. We don't engage in telemarketing. In researching the organizations, I discovered numerous similar-sounding names for PACs raising funds for police officers. If you get one of these calls, do not donate money just hang . . We use the funds raised from these activities to support elected officials, candidates, and organizations whose goals and values align with our own. It appears their lack of transparency regarding where the money goes was the reason for the BBB caution. On 10/29/20 a man called to get pledges for national police support fund. A donation of $10, $15 or $25 would help keep . To raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. The pop-up charity business is usually local, occasionally regional and rarely national. There have been calls circulating from a Police Officers Support Association asking for credit card donations. Im calling on behalf of the National Save the Police Fund,* the voice on the phone told me. 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. The PTRF/LEORF was created to provide specialized relief when, tragically, a law enforcement officer is killed in the line-of-duty or seriously injured in . Here are a few ideas to help you give safely: Con artists refer to what they do as a hustle. So, the next time you get this call, hang up. Learn how vehicle tech like blind spot warnings and drowsy driving alerts can help make driving safer. Stated that donations were not tax-deductible. Also Check: How To File A Police Report For Id Theft, You May Like: How Do Police Deal With Homeless. I asked if the donation was tax-deductible and he said no but could not elaborate as to why that was. : r/Scams. See the metrics below for more information. The I.U.P.A. Police Unity Tour. AARP Membership - LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. It was raising money using four different police-oriented names (one "association," two "coalitions" and one "support fund"). Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. Theres just one week to go before the midterm election. Get a FREE subscription to AARP The Magazine. Fake joke to start out. With this in mind, the midterm election saw a new partnership between us, the National Police Support Fund, and the. You May Like: Do You Need A Degree To Become A Police Officer. I also learned that they were sued in the biggest FTC case in history. He said he ultimately left because he didnt feel like he was supporting the charitable efforts he had hoped to seeing a shift toward fundraising for PACs instead of charities and observing how little of the money went to the causes callers were touting. Recommended Reading: How Many Hours To Become A Police Officer, Read Also: What Education Do I Need To Be A Police Officer. Discovery Company. I quickly identified over 70 super PACs with police or law enforcement in their names. In this case, the pitch was for money for helping police officers in the continuing war against cops.. The cause sounds worthy: Please support your local firefighters (or police officers), the caller implores. One woman received a call from the . Around 200 consumer complaints have also been made to state and federal regulators about the super PAC, its aliases and related groups. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. She had noticed the term PAC on receipts she received in the mail but thought that meant the charities were working together and had a pact to support the police cause she believed in. @GunOwners. A profit according to Investopedia.com is revenue that exceeds expenses. Fundraising calls are allowed even if your number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. 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 case has not yet been resolved. The National Police Association files amicus brief opposing Oregon's attempt to criminalize law abiding gun owners. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Busse said he and his sister took over their fathers finances last year. That link will take you to Illinois, where I live. As a wife of a police officer this is absolutely disgusting! she stated. According to the complaint, DPSF conned people into donating more than $9.9 million. Join AARP for just $9 per yearwhen you sign up for a 5-year term. Virginia incorporation papers show James Fotis is president of the Alliance and changed the name to the Defense Coalition. Unable to verify the federal tax ID, redirected to a toll-free number. At the end of 2021, robocalls raising money for police groups were the highest-volume phone messages in most major U.S. markets, according to Nomorobo, a robocall-blocking company that works with AARP on fraud prevention. Lots of different special interest groups are nonprofits, including some private businesses that pay their executives quite well. A warning tonight about calls targeting people around the Tri-State asking them to help support the police. He initially solicited $95 and eventually said he would accept a $15 contribution as an offer of goodwill on my part. Its been a tough couple years for local law enforcement. Read Also: What Are The Steps To Becoming A Police Officer. 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. Bass, who set up several other super PACs, declined to comment. Entire local police unions, which negotiate collective bargaining agreements for their members, can choose to affiliate with the group. 4 talking about this. The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police is a real organization, but protect yourself and ask questions when you receive calls like these. That same tax year, the International Union of Police Associations gave 10 students pursuing advanced degrees in law enforcement an average of $2,500 apiece. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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. Woman suspicious after calls to help police. They are the tragi-charities. 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. The National Police Support Fund has a website and even a Facebook page to make them look legit, but hundreds of articles pop up from sources like the Better Business Bureau, The National Police Foundation and more warning people NOT to donate to this organization. Filed Jan. 29, 2020, 3:45 p.m. GMT. Soft on Crime groups are targeting record numbers of individual law enforcement officers in law suits for police brutality. 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. A: The National Police Support Fund is a grassroots nonprofit political organization founded in 2017 under Section 527 of the IRS tax code. 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. The latter is the name of the PAC I found earlier that had raised $3.2 million in contributions. But then she started to worry, especially when she couldn't find the group listed as a charity anywhere online. The National Policing Institute, a national, Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization dedicated to advancing policing through science and innovation, has received information from several individuals who have been contacted by solicitors asking for donations in support of the "National Policing Institute," or in some cases the "National Police Fund," which we are not affiliated . This includes marketing and outreach to supporters and communities, grassroots political efforts, and digital marketing efforts. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. The Better Business Bureau conducted an investigation and found . If you want to donate money for your police or fire department, send your contribution to the local sheriff or chiefs directly. We won't use your email for any other purpose, and you can opt out at any time via an unsubscribe link. Trump billboards along a desert stretch of highway near the border of California and Arizona were paid for by a small business that received a federal loan. That means of a $35 donation, no more than $3.50 goes to their stated cause, highest-volume phone messages in most major U.S. markets. 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. 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. The former employee, who asked to remain anonymous because of a nondisclosure agreement, said he remembered fundraising companies outsourcing some of the telemarketing overseas to locations like the Philippines, where they relied on recordings instead of live agents. proudly complies with state regulations and required disclosures. 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. The I.U.P.A. Why does this matter? 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. The funds raised during their 4-day long ride are donated directly to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. 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. Multiple attempted calls from one number. Today, the organization has over 300 chapters across the country working to create positive change in local communities. The rest of the money has gone primarily to the firms helping it solicit donations including nearly $3 million in payments to one telemarketing company sued by the government last month for allegedly using deceptive tactics. He also wanted to highlight law enforcements hard work across the country. How much do I need to save for retirement? A 5 On Your Side viewer got one of those calls recently, asking him to support the National Police and Troopers Association.But before saying yes, he called us to ask if it was legit. Most of the money raised went to telemarketing 87 percent and other expenses. The answer is that, in many cases, these arent charities at all. As our conversation continued, the caller would lower the amount of funding he was requesting. I feel they abuse their use of the name to maybe convey a false sense to the community about who they are and what they really do with the money.. Multiple voices could be heard in the background. Law Enforcement for a Safer America has raked in nearly $10 million in donations from January 2019 to June 2020 . I asked them to mail me a bill instead and they did , I called the phone number on the letter and did not get a respond so I decided to go to their website . Our officers deserve our respect and support, the Super PACs website reads. Registration with any of these state agencies does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by any state. Our movement is comprised of tens of thousands of Americans from all walks of life who are joined together by their common . Another law enforcement charity that faced disciplinary action was the American Association of State Troopers, which was fined a total of $321,115 in three states - Georgia, Mississippi and Pennsylvania. The groups videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. The National Police Support Fund. 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 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! An image from Law Enforcement For A Safer America PAC's Facebook page. . This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. 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. Continuously redirected to the toll free number provided which cut out each time it was listed. The charitys affiliation with the government. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. I was contacted in Wilton, CT by representatives of the National Police Support Fund. Trade groups like those that represent the fast food or soft drink producers operate as nonprofits. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. This all looks very peculiar, said Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School who specializes in campaign finance. So we can Verify, National Coalition for Police and Troopers is a site owned by a PAC, isn't a charitable organization. How a donation will be used, or how much of the donation actually goes to the charitys programs. The scripts were designed to give the impression that they were helping out officers versus lobbying efforts, he said, adding that the political affiliation was only fully disclosed when someone proactively asked where the money would be going. "But I'm sure there are a lot that are not on the level, so you kind of have to be cautious," she said. 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. again. You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. 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. The source of the funding information was OpenSecrets, a database that tracks spending in U.S. politics run by the Center for Responsive Politics. In fact, as Ive previously , supporting law enforcement and supporting reform movements such as Black Lives Matter are not mutually exclusive. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Required fields are marked *. I did not feel comfortable giving the information over the phone . The answer is that, in many cases, these arent charities at all. In fact, they count on the confusion to gather contributions. Ways to contribute: You can contribute to the Police Unity Tour by donating through their website. 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 International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO was formed in 1979 to collectively represent those in law enforcement that are active or retired law enforcement officers to fight to improve, protect, and remember the lives of officers and their families in law enforcement the organization also works to improve legislation that protects and affects public safety officers, as well as representing the needs of law enforcement officers and support personnel, whether that be for better equipment, more staff or a fair wage.

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