It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. 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. The solution, the letter says, is clear: Give our law enforcement officers the crime prevention tools they need. As an example, he cites former Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County in Arizona. National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues. Charities face relatively rigorous review from the Internal Revenue Service, and most states require them to register before they can operate there. Just want you notified that they are calling on area code 203 #s in CT now. California resident Kellie Van Westen, 69, said she has family members who are law enforcement officers and that she believed the roughly $1,400 she donated since 2019 would help bolster local police budgets and pay for equipment to keep them safe.. Eagerly he asked if I was comfortable with that amount. Contributions are not tax deductible. For example, a very well known and respected group is the Make a Wish Foundation. Msg&data rates may apply. Learn how vehicle tech like blind spot warnings and drowsy driving alerts can help make driving safer. United Police Fund / National Police Fund scam harassment. How much do I need to save for retirement? I quickly identified over 70 super PACs with police or law enforcement in their names. Trade groups like those that represent the fast food or soft drink producers operate as nonprofits. 2023 Cable News Network. National Association of Police Organizations :: Home - NAPO Discovery Company. Key battles deserve tight alliances. Simple web searches can show that the 'charitable organization' calling either 1 . 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. Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.Paid for by National Police Support Fund, Inc. |Privacy & Refund Policy| Sitemap, Biggest Issues Facing Police Officers Today. After further investigation, they are not approved by the better business bureau and they have nothing but horrible reviews . 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. Last month the National Police Association (NPA) filed an ethics complaint against Rachael Rollins, the new district attorney for Suffolk County, Massachusetts (who recently . Police Protection Fund. It was raising money using four different police-oriented names (one association, two coalitions and one support fund). See the metrics below for more information. 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 . Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription toAARP The Magazine. The IRS has pretty broad rules for being a nonprofit organization. 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. What they do: The National Association of Police Athletic/Activities League aims to minimize juvenile crime through outreach programs that pair officers with youth. The Greenfield, Massachusetts, police department warned about the group last year as well. Wendy is fine with that and will sleep better now. 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. Lots of different special interest groups are nonprofits, including some private businesses that pay their executives quite well. As the list of high-profile police shootings has grown in recent years and calls to defund the police have gotten louder, tensions between protesters and those who have rushed to the support of police some of whom have become part of a Blue Lives Matter movement have been building. National Police Association (@NatPoliceAssoc) / Twitter Please let me know if there are any actions ScamPulse.com suggests I take other than ignore any future requests. Gas station secured small business bailout money, then paid for Trump billboards, After learning from CNN that his 92-year-old father had given $1,200 to the super PAC, Curt Busse said that the donations were made as his fathers cognitive skills declined, making him a prime target for telemarketers. and our Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. 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. 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.. 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 vast majority of donations since 2019 were under $200, meaning the funds came from tens of thousands of donors. The 20 Worst Charities You Shouldn't Be Donating To - Money Inc 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. "I got burned a couple of years ago when I found out another charity I was contributing to was not a real charity, so I thought I should probably check this one out," Beckman said. Wow! The Police and Troopers Relief Foundation (PTRF) is a special program within the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund (LEORF), established by the International Union of Police Associations. The website soliciting funds for Arpaio says, Liberals have targeted Sheriff Joe Arpaio with a multi-million dollar lawsuit (that could even result in jail time) because he was upholding the law of the land.. 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. This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. During the pandemic, a plethora of fraudulent websites came out like a plague. The pop-up charity business is usually local, occasionally regional and rarely national. And it's very easy to catch the eye of someone.". In researching the organizations, I discovered numerous similar-sounding names for PACs raising funds for police officers. The Police Unity Tour was founded in 1997 by Patrick Montuore, a police officer from New Jersey. What To Know Before Donating To Help First Responders, Active Duty An image from Law Enforcement For A Safer America PAC's Facebook page. He also wanted to highlight law enforcements hard work across the country. What should we investigate next? Free online workshop! The websites describe his career in law enforcement and his role as the creator of the police officers safety act legislation carried by former San Diego Congressman Randy Duke Cunningham. Kids Wish Network, however, spends only 3 cents of every dollar collected on kids. Home - LEORF Our mission is to promote the interests of our nation's police officers within our nation's political and public policy process. BBB warns against National Police Support Fund - KFVS12 National Association of Police Athletics/Activities League. She said she was told the group was a charity benefiting police and troopers. National Police Support Fund 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/. 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. The first thing I noticed was that I wasnt talking to live people; the answers all sounded scripted and recorded. Donations have surged to a 'scam' political group that claims - CNN The Police Are Always Asking For Money But Where Does That Money Go 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. Promoting divisive rhetoric is detrimental to the public safety mission that requires any genuine law enforcement organization to be accountable to its constituents. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 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 . 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. There have been calls circulating from a Police Officers Support Association asking for credit card donations. Recommended Reading: How To Become A Desk Police Officer, Also Check: Can Police Help Me Unlock My Car. Recommended Reading: How Many Hours To Become A Police Officer, Read Also: What Education Do I Need To Be A Police Officer. I started rifling through my mail as he gave me the same exact spiel this time saying he represented United Police support fund. BBB Advises Potential Donors to be Cautious If Solicited by the The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. When I asked which state this drive was for, the caller could not answer and instead said it is for a national charity. By choosing the . The case has not yet been resolved. The first one, the texh . Here are the Top 7 Amazon scam calls. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. While some donors believe they are donating to . 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. 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. It was found that only 2.7% of donations to the relief fund actually went to the families of fallen officers. Why does this matter? Clint Bates. As a result, he had a positive outlook on military and all law enforcement officers, Busse said, but he never expressed any particular interest in supporting the police through financial donations.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Unable to verify the federal tax ID, redirected to a toll-free number. I again was transferred to another person who wanted my credit card info and stated due to covid they wanted to decrease handling and credit cards was the best way to donate. An IRS report was filed on July 26. 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. If they are PACs, the fundraising effort is politically motivated and wont necessarily support San Diego-area officers or deputies or their families. They improvise and evolve to stay one step ahead of unsuspecting donors. The union has recently claimed to have more than 100,000 members, but the IUPA has reported around 20,000 members in tax filings. The answer is that, in many cases, these arent charities at all. 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. 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. 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. National Police and Troopers Association - NPTA - Yelp 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. 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. Read Also: How Do You Know If The Police Are Investigating You. Scam Alert: Don't Fall for Phony Firefighter Fundraisers - AARP The matter now heads to the Senate, where the disapproval resolution may pass if every Republican plus rebellious Democratic Senator Joe Manchin (W.Va.) support the effort. Go to their website and give there or call the number listed. If your phone rings, it's not us. 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. According to an analysis by The Center for Public Integrity (CFPI), the names of some of these "scam PACs" are listed below. First Responders Children's Foundation. National Police Support Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. 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. So what happened to the other approximately 33% of . 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 . But their website and solicitations are designed to look and sound like Make a Wish. 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. After I rejected he offered some booster donations of 15,25, 35 dollars to Goodwill or other organizations. Terms & conditions/privacy policy apply https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com/terms-of-service/, Contributions to the National Police Support Fund are not tax deductible. Big corporations dispute sponsoring a Florida police charity that But almost no one was helped. 7:35 AM EDT, Fri October 16, 2020. I came across ScamPulse.com warning people about donating to the NPSF . Do police call for donations? 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. "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. Donating to help police or other first responders The usual claiming they were legitimate. On 10/29/20 a man called to get pledges for national police support fund. Also Check: How To File A Police Report For Id Theft, You May Like: How Do Police Deal With Homeless. Phone Calls for Donations to the Police Could be a Scam These callers typically use language that suggests they are charities raising money directly for local police. CONSUMER ALERT: AG Shapiro Warns of Scams Related to Donations for About $1.8 million went toward the salaries of union officials, including $199,700 for Cabral, the president. Best and Worst Charities for Your Donations - Consumer Reports Just as you sit down to dinner, the phone rings and the caller asks for a donation. This comes at a time when some community activists have been calling for defunding the police. 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. National Police Defense Foundation has earned a 81% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. The latter is the name of the PAC I found earlier that had raised $3.2 million in contributions. 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. Busse said he and his sister took over their fathers finances last year. 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I told him that I had some questions for him before I would donate. Many legitimate charities support local firefighters and police, active duty military, and veterans, or their families. The BBB said days later, the New Jersey State Police photo had been removed from the site. Follow John on Instagram @johnmataresemoney, For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com. The fund is the third in a series of outrageous attempts by founders David Dierks and Phil LeConte to extort money from generous Americans under the pretext of donations to the nation's police forces. This all looks very peculiar, said Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School who specializes in campaign finance. 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. 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. 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. 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. On each call, my questions about how donations got spent mostly went unanswered. What they do: ThePolice Unity Tour raises funds and awareness for members of law enforcement who lost their lives during their service. Woman suspicious after calls to help police. I did not feel comfortable giving the information over the phone . 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. A profit according to Investopedia.com is revenue that exceeds expenses. As a wife of a police officer this is absolutely disgusting! she stated. Most of the money raised went to telemarketing 87 percent and other expenses. 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 . 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items. Investigation: Is National Police Support Fund actually a massive scam Join AARP for just $9 per yearwhen you sign up for a 5-year term. As Smarter Giving notes, what is actually supports is the bank balances of its chief executives. For more information, please see our Is an organization that supports police for donations a charity That way, you avoid all of . The website soliciting funds for Arpaio says, Liberals have targeted Sheriff Joe Arpaio with a multi-million dollar lawsuit because he was upholding the law of the land. 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. So have we all. Ask for information, check sites like Charitynavigator.org and then if it all checks out, write that check. The safest way to donate on social media or crowdfunding campaign is to give to people you actually know. Required fields are marked *. The call was spoofed to appear to be from [a] Montana phone number, he wrote, noting that the caller did not identify the group as a political action committee, or super PAC, and telling his followers that it was not a nonprofit so donations are not tax deductible. We do not support nor do we condone this group, the post stated. I recently took about a dozen of these police-support calls to hear the pitches. The application also included the name Police Officers Defense Coalition, as well as the Police Officers Defense Alliance. by Michelle Diament, April 2008. . Many charities that help first responders like police officers and firefighters veterans, and active duty military, or their families, pay fundraisers to call donors or potential donors. Police charity caution: How to know if it's a scam - WCPO Years later, as the success of the . Post has been removed or is no longer public. Continuously redirected to the toll free number provided which cut out each time it was listed. Another useful fact: Organizations that file reports with the FEC have to list a treasurer. . 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. Contributions made to National Police Support Fund are not tax-deductible. 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. I looked up one called Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC, which seemed to be especially active, based on Nomorobos monitoring. Instead, theyre independent, expenditure-only political action committees, or super PACs. Spokane-area residents question calls from national police - KREM But none of the money being raised actually goes to police departments, according to government records. I found a few small line items labeled legislative services, but none that appeared to go directly to supporting police. 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.. But as I learned, these callers are masters at evading any such disclosure.
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