Police Fundraising Scams
It's the time of year when everyone comes out of the woodwork to try to separate me from my money. Thanks to the Do Not Call List, we no longer have to put up with telemarketing from businesses. But charities are another story. Once you donate to one, you are fair game for all forms of questionable charities to haunt you at every opportunity.
And nothing pisses me off more that the obviously phony, or barely legitimate, police and fire fundraising calls that I get constantly the last couple years. While it always annoyed me a bit to be hit on by my local police and fire department (what do I pay exorbitant property taxes for), I nevertheless would always donate $25 dollars to my local police and fire department.
But when I started getting calls for The New England Firefigher's Association, The American Police Officer's Association etc., and was confronted with high pressure assholes on the phone, I made a blanket policy that I would no longer give a dime to any police of fire group that call me on the phone. Sure, I'm probably tarring the legitimate calls with the scam calls, but I don't have any way to figure out who is legitimate and who is not, so that's just the way it goes. And even the most worthy charity shouldn't be haunting people for donations on the phone.
posted by Cranky at 8:06 PM
11 Comments:
I don't give to anyone on the phone. I ask them for a URL or something that I can read. Otherwise, no sale.
Telemarketers do nothing but suck the fun out of existence for the rest of us.
10:27 PM
My husband's exgirlfriend works for one of these outfits and he has told me stories of what a scam it is. She used to come with all kinds of cash that was people thought was going to the police or firefighters.
12:15 AM
Well I am totally against fraudulent fundraisers. You can check the attorney general wepage to see if 1. It is a registered charity 2. If its a registered fundraiser. Besides that I believe any legit fundraiser or charity should be able to raise funds. If you are so bothered ask to be taken of the list. If they do not report them to the atorney general.
5:52 PM
Howdy. Im from Houston, TX. I do fundraising for police groups. I understand, and agree with some of what you have all said. The bad guys give the good guys a punch in the face. The good guys will take most of the heat, because they use your name for bad. I started with a non-profit group that did there own in house fund raising. Not a outside professional fundraiser. That means 100% of your money goes to that association. Yes the people that call you are paid. Very few salary, mostly comission. So not all of your money goes to the programs. For example: I bring in over 250,000 dollars a year myself. Some groups give between 27-38 percent of money to law enforcement. It doesn't take much to be a 501c3 non-profit group. I know your thinking thats not much. Thats roughly 60,000 dollars that went to help police. If I wouldnt have called, they wouldnt have got it. I just started my own for-profit police magazine for business sponsorship ads. I chose for-profit because there is alot more room to breath. Non-profits are very regulated. I plan on helping kids stay off drugs, lethal & defensive tactics training, and a death benefit fund. I will be sending out decals for the vehicles, and there not bogus. Also printing a magazine to send out to the advertisers, police agencies, and other companys related to my program. I call business owners, or decision makers. CEO's of huge corporations. Trust me they can tell rite off the bat if you worth a damn or not. So you have to have some kind of common sense, and education. I dont care if you make 20,000 a year, or 20,000,000 a year. I talk to everyone just about the same. I really do enjoy helping someone out and talking on the phone. Well im tired of typing now. Hope some of this is helpful to you. If you have anymore questions, post your comments. thanks.
11:32 PM
Facts about Fire, Police, or Military Fundraisers:
Simply having the words "police" or "firefighter" in an organization's name doesn't mean police or firefighters are members of the group or will benefit from the funds raised.
An organization may claim it has ties with local police or firefighters, but that doesn't mean contributions will be used locally or for public safety. Call your local organization to verify the connection.
Many solicitations for police and fire service organizations are made by professional fund-raisers who are paid to do the job.
Donations to some police or firefighter groups may not be tax deductible.
Telemarketers who make calls across state lines on behalf of charitable organizations must comply with certain federal standards:
» They must make their calls between 8:00 am and 9:00 pm.
» They must promptly identify the charity they represent and that they are calling to ask for money.
» They may not lie or mislead you to get a contribution.
» They may not call you again if you asked them not to.
2:24 PM
I started working for a telemarketing fundraiser and quit not long into training. I did an internet search and nothing good turned up for Cops for Kids Safety in Canada. Plus, we did not have allot of information on how to deal with typical questions that might be asked, we could not even tell people how much of the money was going to the "chairity" nor was it tax deductible. I called the police to report them and they said they would look into it, I hope that they do!
4:45 PM
Well - non ! Non of the so called police charities a legit! all scams. I've been getting thoes phone cals for decades. They are allways some out of state boiler room operation. the Scammer gets to keep 25% of the scam the rest go to the top criminal that set that up. The more sofisticated operations actually donate 1 or 2 % to a police organization as a cover up in case they get busted.
The Police scam is succesfull because the respect many of us have for the police but even more its some fear motivation.
I belive my tax dollar are just fine in paying Police salary and benifits anyways.
7:30 PM
I hope that guy from Houston isn't named "Danny _______", because if he is he's a complete fraud. I have asked "Danny ____" to please take me off their list for years. When he hears its me on the phone he hangs up, hoping to talk to a more gullibe family member next time.
I think all these charities are under the banner of one huge fund-raising cabal; otherwise, when I donate to say Red Cross, why would I start getting solocitations from the Buffalo Bill Museum, and the Catholic Bishops of North Alaska. (no exxaggeation- I live in Texas).
These shiesters give legit charities a very bad name.
And the mail- today 30, solicitations. The record is 58, in one day.
The USPS says I need a bigger mailbox.
3:17 PM
This was an excellent post and was very insightful.
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5:02 AM
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7:12 PM
Great read thankkyou
3:27 AM
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