Law enforcement has a tough enough job without having to put up with charlatans masquerading as heroes. Now, the last thing I want to do is discourage you from giving to causes you care about, like supporting police. And it's very easy to catch the eye of someone.". Operators who are so susprised it's scam. Please do your homework and avoid scams and misleading appeals for your hard-earned money.. Promoting divisive rhetoric is detrimental to the public safety mission that requires any genuine law enforcement organization to be accountable to its constituents. Lots of different special interest groups are nonprofits, including some private businesses that pay their executives quite well. He seemed okay with it. 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. January 11, 2019. Theres just one week to go before the midterm election. But whats the truth. What they do: ThePolice Unity Tour raises funds and awareness for members of law enforcement who lost their lives during their service. They are the tragi-charities. As our conversation continued, the caller would lower the amount of funding he was requesting. Why does this matter? 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. Continuously redirected to the toll free number provided which cut out each time it was listed. National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. It also transferred $30,000 to another pro-police super PAC that the union operates, based on the officers listed on its filings. The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. I asked if the donation was tax-deductible and he said no but could not elaborate as to why that was. This section is used to influence public opinion in support of the interests of . In two words, its not. You read that correctly. See the metrics below for more information. The National Police Support Fund is a national coalition committed to promoting the interests of America's. 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. 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. United Police Fund / National Police Fund scam harassment. Just hang up. 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. 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items. 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. The Arizona Fraternal Order of Police is a real organization, but protect yourself and ask questions when you receive calls like these. 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. The FTC and charity regulators and law enforcement officials in every state have teamed up on more than 100 actions against dozens of fake charities, which have collected tens of millions of . And Law Enforcement for a Safer America appears to be cashing in. We highly encourage our followers to verify who they are making donations to when contacted for fundraisers.. Trade groups like those that represent the fast food or soft drink producers operate as nonprofits. 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. See the metrics below for more information. Also Check: Do You Have To Pay For A Police Report. 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. "But I'm sure there are a lot that are not on the level, so you kind of have to be cautious," she said. 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. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much For more information, please refer to the IRS definition of Political Organization. Charity hustles work the same way. This Florida-based union touts its federal lobbying efforts on behalf of local members. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Virginia incorporation papers show James Fotis is president of the Alliance and changed the name to the Defense Coalition. Our Police, Firefighters, and all First Responders do need our support. During the pandemic, a plethora of fraudulent websites came out like a plague. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. One Daughters Fight Against Charity Fraud, Exclusive Walgreens Cash rewards for members, AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia: Vacation Packages, Members save when booking a flight vacation package, AARP Identity Theft Protection powered by Norton, Up to 53% off comprehensive protection plans, AARP Online Fitness powered by LIFT session, Customized workouts designed around your goals and schedule, SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS. It spent $103,700 on behalf of House candidates about 3% of the total, and it has contributed nothing directly to veterans groups. I did satisfy my rather small donation at their website https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com . The usual claiming they were legitimate. I should have been more aware that it sounded fishy and of course just saw the ScamPulse.com warning. To raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. When I googled the fund, a BBB caution was the first result. Recommended Reading: How To Become A Desk Police Officer, Also Check: Can Police Help Me Unlock My Car. Individual officers can also become members, according to its website. It wasnt the usual automated call, and hearing a human voice kept me on the line. The National Police Support Fund is a legitimate organization that supports the interests of America's law enforcement officers. Published 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. The Committee for Police Officers Defense, the telemarketers who called me, applied for tax exemption in California. 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. This person spoke broken english and told me to donate using credit card. An image from Law Enforcement For A Safer America PAC's Facebook page. Filed Jan. 29, 2020, 3:45 p.m. GMT. With the generous support of readers like you, Times of San Diego publishes timely and accurate news coverage for a better-informed community. Of those who gave more than $200, which are required to be disclosed to the federal government, roughly 80% were retirees, according to an analysis of the data. 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. A donation of $10, $15 or $25 would help keep . JW August is a San Diego-based broadcast and digital journalist. Contributions made to National Police Support Fund are not tax-deductible. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. The Committee for Police Officers Defense, the telemarketers who called me, applied for tax exemption in California. With tales of woe and heartbreaking images of children or helpless animals, they beg for assistance. 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. Can the police officers count on you?. 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. I also learned that they were sued in the biggest FTC case in history. This organization spends the vast majority of its donations on children. (Santa Rosa, Calf.) SCAM: National Police Support Fund donation. Andy Cottam is among the many who received the call. 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. Is National police Support Fund legit? Has anyone else recently seen an uptick and calls from various police support organizations? 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. A: The National Police Support Fund is a grassroots nonprofit political organization founded in 2017 under Section 527 of the IRS tax code. He of course provided a non-reassuring answer with no defence when the jig was up, and ended the call. With everything that's happening this pandemic year, people are getting more and more calls to support their local police. There have been calls circulating from a Police Officers Support Association asking for credit card donations. nationalpolice.org. Go to their website and give there or call the number listed. Ask for information, check sites like Charitynavigator.org and then if it all checks out, write that check. "My brother was a police officer, my cousin was a cop and one of my sons is a cop," she said. 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 call came to Get Gephardt to investigate who exactly it is that's making those calls. How a donation will be used, or how much of the donation actually goes to the charitys programs. 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. For more information, please see our And the Morton Police Department in Illinois posted on Facebook about calls from a mysterious phone number with a local area code last year. Three calls to his Virginia office for comment have gone unanswered as well as an email sent directly to his address listed in his filings with California. He initially solicited $95 and eventually said he would accept a $15 contribution as an offer of goodwill on my part. 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. 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. Email us: watchdog@cnn.com. We strive to engage the public through political grassroots activity to support political interests that promote officer's interests. In this case, the pitch was for money for helping police officers in the continuing war against cops.. Several donors said they never would have given money to the group if they knew it would pay for Trump advertisements, including 70-year-old Susan Durie, a self-described bleeding heart liberal Democrat from Los Angeles who donated around $600 and said she felt like a victim of a scam since she thinks she was misled into believing that her donation would go to local police. We don't engage in telemarketing. 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. The groups videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. If you require additional information, then call us 1-800-247-4872 or email us at: [email protected] Your contribution is very much appreciated and although the International Union of Police Association is recognized as a non-profit by the IRS, due to its particular status (501 (c) 5), donations are not tax . Concerns of Police Survivors. 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 . An IRS report was filed on July 26. Simple: less scrutiny. 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