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I should have been more aware that it sounded fishy and of course just saw the ScamPulse.com warning. 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. The organization also has a Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. 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. 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 . People are receiving phone scam calls asking for donations to help out local police departments or slain and wounded police offers. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. On 11/4 another local call came it was the same man! The Police Officers Defense Alliance, for example, raised $3.2 million in 2020, and The American Police Officers Alliance raised $4.3 million. 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. Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. "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 did not feel comfortable giving the information over the phone . Another charity that should come with a "donator, beware" sign is the Police Protection Fund. The I.U.P.A. 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. National Association of Police Athletics/Activities League. Getting 3 to 5 calls a day from 315-410-0874 phone number. Police Protection Fund. I received a call today from someone from The National Police Support Fund, who claimed to be collecting money for a drive. : r/Scams. 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. Gifts to actual charities are donations to PACs, which sometimes sound like charities, are not. Never disclose personal information. Or follow the simplest rule: Never give to anyone over the phone, said Margot Saunders, senior counsel for the National Consumer Law Center. Registration with any of these state agencies does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by any state. It only means they do not seek to make a profit on their activities. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. He was donating to anyone who asked him for money, he said. Even if you like the idea, how do you know the call is legitimate? He seemed okay with it. Simple: less scrutiny. One hit wonders seeking to cash in on the tragedy of the day from floods and fires to missing children and more. Alexandria, VA. National Police Support Fund and United Police Fund came together this November to urge Northern Virginians to get out the vote in, National Police Support Fund, Inc.Office/Mailing Address:2800 Eisenhower Drive Suite 220Alexandria, VA 22314, Donation Processing Center:PO Box 26248Alexandria, VA 22313-2648, Phone: (571) 364-6520Email: info@nationalpolicesupportfund.com, By providing your phone number, you are consenting to receive calls and SMS/MMS msgs, including autodialed and automated calls and texts using prerecorded voice, to that number from the National Police Support Fund. "So I really want to support the police for what they do.". 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. Do police call for donations? 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. Three other IUPA executives earned more than $100,000 apiece during fiscal 2017-2018. The National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. Instead, theyre independent, expenditure-only political action committees, or super PACs. ThePAC, organized by Zachary Bass, spent 90% of its take on fundraising, campaign filings show. The Police Unity Tour was founded in 1997 by Patrick Montuore, a police officer from New Jersey. Discovery Company. Many legitimate charities support local firefighters and police, active duty military, and veterans, or their families. 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. Today, the organization has over 300 chapters across the country working to create positive change in local communities. I later learned the organization is based in Fairfax, VA, and is a political action committee, or PAC. 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. 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. As a wife of a police officer this is absolutely disgusting! she stated. The latter is the name of the PAC I found earlier that had raised $3.2 million in contributions. An image from Law Enforcement For A Safer America PAC's Facebook page. In about 7 years (through March 2018), the union and relief fund spent a total of approximately $102.3 million, of which $82.3 million went towards fundraising. 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. 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. Learn about the latest anti-police movement, Download our 2022 police ballot measures analysis, Download our 2022 law enforcement support guide, Virginia Election Ad by National Police Support Fund, Pro-Police Organizations Worked Together to Get Out the Vote & Boosts Conservative Turnout in NoVa, https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com/terms-of-service/. Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. The cause sounds worthy: Please support your local firefighters (or police officers), the caller implores. Wow! The Greenfield, Massachusetts, police department warned about the group last year as well. 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. If the potential donors suspected they had given to the group before, the callers were instructed to say: I have no way of knowing because we feel that donations are given from the heart, not the hand, so we keep all donation records confidential, according to the FAQ. AARP Membership LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. 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. A secretive political group has been pulling in millions of dollars in recent months amid a growing Blue Lives Matter movement, with a cadre of telemarketers urgently telling Americans that now is the time to support the police and keep them safe. 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 . January 11, 2019. 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. The Committee for Police Officers Defense, the telemarketers who called me, applied for tax exemption in California. 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. Government documents show that the founding treasurer is currently an executive at the International Union of Police Associations. Phony Firefighters Scam. appreciated. The vast majority of donations since 2019 were under $200, meaning the funds came from tens of thousands of donors. We use the funds raised from these activities to support elected officials, candidates, and organizations whose goals and values align with our own. Only one replied directly: 90 percent went to fundraising, and 10 percent went to police support. Money donated to this group might be used for political purposes and will not be used for direct help to police or troopers, Fox wrote. This section is used to influence public opinion in support of the interests of . It appears their lack of transparency regarding where the money goes was the reason for the BBB caution. You read that correctly. Wendy Beckman got a call the other day from a man asking her to help retired police and firefighters. I asked for the number so I could call back after I made my decision and he gave me the 1-866 number and said to call with any questions and thanked me for my time. 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. In two words, its not. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation (Triangle, Va.) Committee for Missing Children (Lawrenceville, Ga.) Prevent Child . nationalpolice.org. again. Please note that many legitimate local (and unaffiliated) police foundations and organizations may solicit donations from local communities via telephone and mail. Political organizations including both the Democratic and Republican parties are nonprofits. As we stated earlier, these 50 charities account for almost $1 Billion in donations. A charity is only one type of nonprofit. Read Also: What Are The Steps To Becoming A Police Officer. The first thing I noticed was that I wasnt talking to live people; the answers all sounded scripted and recorded. Up to June 2020, only 2% of the groups spending went toward political activities mainly for advertisements supporting President Donald Trumps reelection, according to data filed with the FEC. And Law Enforcement for a Safer America appears to be cashing in. Andy Cottam is among the many who received the call. You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. There have been calls circulating from a Police Officers Support Association asking for credit card donations. So we can Verify, National Coalition for Police and Troopers is a site owned by a PAC, isn't a charitable organization. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. We found a website for them, but it gives very little information about the organization and their mission. The Wilmington Police Department has no association with this organization and we have never even heard of them, stated a May release from the department. generic photos, there is no real content validating that they do anything to actually support the police. I looked up one called Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC, which seemed to be especially active, based on Nomorobos monitoring. (Santa Rosa, Calf.) The Better Business Bureau conducted an investigation and found . Required fields are marked *. The safest way to donate on social media or crowdfunding campaign is to give to people you actually know. Kids Wish Network, however, spends only 3 cents of every dollar collected on kids. For example, in 2019, nearly 90% of the organizations income was spent on its programming. Javascript must be enabled to use this site. 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. Email us: watchdog@cnn.com. Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. The NPAs immigration proposalAuthorizing local law enforcement officers to perform federal immigration law enforcement functionsis based on fear-mongering and a clear recipe for abuse and division. 2. The fundraisers connection to the charity. It was raising money using four different police-oriented names (one "association," two "coalitions" and one "support fund"). 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. Im calling on behalf of the National Save the Police Fund,* the voice on the phone told me. 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. If it is a scam they are awfully convincing on the phone but are also rather forceful. To raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. If a charity is forced to move its headquarters to a new state on account of the dodgy dealings and underhand practices its been getting up to in its old home, anyone with any sense should know to keep well away, Unfortunately, the United States Deputy Sheriffs Association is well versed enough in manipulation to convince even the most well-meaning of folk that its still a cause worthy of their support. In the report, National Police Support Fund reported about $61,000 in . Clint Bates. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. As Smarter Giving notes, what is actually supports is the bank balances of its chief executives. We don't engage in telemarketing. Most of the money raised went to telemarketing 87 percent and other expenses. He paused for a few seconds and said "okay, bye" and hung up the phone. Read Also: Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, 2021 KnowYourPolice.net I found a few small line items labeled legislative services, but none that appeared to go directly to supporting police. National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues. 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. The caller said he was phoning on behalf of the Committee for Police Officers Defense. Their impact and transparency ratings: The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League has an Accountability and Transparency score of 92 out of 100 from Charity Navigator. The answer is that, in many cases, these arent charities at all. Im calling on behalf of the National Save the Police Fund,* the voice on the phone told me. So have we all. How to report a scammer? Your email address will not be published. Please reload the page and try again. And that is likely the point. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Hispanic Federation (New York City) Abandoned Children's Fund. 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. 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. A: A 527 political organization is a party committee, association, fund, or other organization organized and operated primarily for the purpose of directly or indirectly accepting contributions or making expenditures for an exempt function. Email Blake Ellis and Melanie Hicken. 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. I received a call today from someone from The National Police Support Fund, who claimed to be collecting money for a drive. 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. Go to their website and give there or call the number listed. The Better Business Bureau is warning about an organization that calls itself the National Police Support Fund which, despite soliciting contributions from St. Louis-area donors, isn't . Busse said he and his sister took over their fathers finances last year. Watch out for a new "police support fund" scam. 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 . 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. Terms & conditions/privacy policy apply https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com/terms-of-service/, Contributions to the National Police Support Fund are not tax deductible. . 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.. National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. he transferred me to check my address. The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. As our conversation continued, the caller would lower the amount of funding he was requesting. He organized the Police Unity Tour as a fundraising event to honor members of law enforcement who had lost their lives in the line of service. See the metrics below for more information. We support police officers who risk their lives daily protecting our communities. We won't use your email for any other purpose, and you can opt out at any time via an unsubscribe link. Entire local police unions, which negotiate collective bargaining agreements for their members, can choose to affiliate with the group. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. An IRS report was filed on July 26. It also concerned him that so many prospects were elderly. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. 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. Another useful fact: Organizations that file reports with the FEC have to list a treasurer. 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. Multiple voices could be heard in the background. 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. United Police Fund / National Police Fund scam harassment. 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 super PAC said on Facebook in September that it had placed this billboard in multiple locations throughout Wisconsin and that more would be coming. According to an analysis by The Center for Public Integrity (CFPI), the names of some of these "scam PACs" are listed below. Key battles deserve tight alliances. Are the money-gathering techniques these scam PACs use illegal? Charity hustles work the same way. The BBB said days later, the New Jersey State Police photo had been removed from the site. The result: a rise in super PACs that use sympathetic-sounding causes primarily to line their own pockets (the FEC has called this subset scam PACs). Instead, theyre independent, expenditure-only political action committees, or super PACs. On 10/29/20 a man called to get pledges for national police support fund. What can we learn from the latest Coinbase cyberattack? He could not answer. In about 7 years (through March 2018), the union and relief fund spent a total of approximately $102.3 million, of which $82.3 million went towards fundraising. We highly encourage our followers to verify who they are making donations to when contacted for fundraisers.. Our officers deserve our respect and support, the Super PACs website reads. The National Police Association advocates Support the Police, and Back the Blue, because Blue Lives Matter. The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. National Police Association Inc. has earned a 60% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. The man on the other end of the phone is asking for money for the protection of police officers. With this in mind, the midterm election saw a new partnership between us, the National Police Support Fund, and the. Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps"). Also Check: How To File A Police Report For Id Theft, You May Like: How Do Police Deal With Homeless. This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. 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. Can the police officers count on you?. 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. One woman received a call from the . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. You May Like: Do You Need A Degree To Become A Police Officer. I told him that I had some questions for him before I would donate. See the metrics below for more information. These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. About $1.8 million went toward the salaries of union officials, including $199,700 for Cabral, the president. 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. Multiple attempted calls from one number. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Virginia incorporation papers show James Fotis is president of the Alliance and changed the name to the Defense Coalition. 7:35 AM EDT, Fri October 16, 2020. After further investigation, they are not approved by the better business bureau and they have nothing but horrible reviews . 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! With tales of woe and heartbreaking images of children or helpless animals, they beg for assistance. I quickly identified over 70 super PACs with police or law enforcement in their names. 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. The groups videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. Sara Kemerer of the . Eagerly he asked if I was comfortable with that amount. 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. We support police officers who risk their lives daily protecting our communities. Mostly they are the products of individual scammers who smell an opportunity to cash in using the name of a victim who may or may not even be real. 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. An employee who said he previously worked for two companies that raised money for Law Enforcement for a Safer America said that at his more recent job, callers were instructed not to disclose that they were calling on behalf of a super PAC. He never would have given money to any group if he knew that some of that money was going to pro-Trump campaign ads, said Busse. It also transferred $30,000 to another pro-police super PAC that the union operates, based on the officers listed on its filings. Super PACs are able to raise unlimited amounts of money, which they can use to advocate for political candidates or causes. "The words police and words firefighter are not trademarked," Kemerer explained, "so it is very easy for scammers to use those names and create fake organizations. This includes marketing and outreach to supporters and communities, grassroots political efforts, and digital marketing efforts. So what happened to the other approximately 33% of . Woman suspicious after calls to help police. POLICING THE MOST DANGEROUS CITY IN THE COUNTRY: What do Chicago's LEO's and citizens think? A: The National Police Support Fund is a grassroots nonprofit political organization founded in 2017 under Section 527 of the IRS tax code. She said she was told the group was a charity benefiting police and troopers. It spent $103,700 on behalf of House candidates about 3% of the total, and it has contributed nothing directly to veterans groups. 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. 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. He said his father served in the Navy for nearly two decades and was always proud of his service. What they do: The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League aims to minimize juvenile crime through outreach programs that pair officers with youth. 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. If you want to donate money for your police or fire department, send your contribution to the local sheriff or chiefs directly. I also learned that they were sued in the biggest FTC case in history. 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. 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. 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