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. It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. 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 . The vast majority of donations since 2019 were under $200, meaning the funds came from tens of thousands of donors. 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. Please reload the page and try again. Last month the National Police Association (NPA) filed an ethics complaint against Rachael Rollins, the new district attorney for Suffolk County, Massachusetts (who recently . 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items. Read Also: Do You Have To Call The Police After An Accident, 2021 KnowYourPolice.net 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. 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. On each call, my questions about how donations got spent mostly went unanswered. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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 comes at a time when some community activists have been calling for "defunding" the police. This was up from roughly $1 million raised by the group, which was founded in June 2018, in the last six months of the prior election cycle. And that is likely the point. . On each call, my questions about how donations got spent mostly went unanswered. and our After further investigation, they are not approved by the better business bureau and they have nothing but horrible reviews . What should we investigate next? Legitimate charities can be checked on websites such as www.guidestar.org. Ask if the donation is tax-deductible. Terms & conditions/privacy policy apply https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com/terms-of-service/, Contributions to the National Police Support Fund are not tax deductible. By choosing the . It appears there are a number of nonprofits up and running under the apparent control of Fotis. Registration with any of these state agencies does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by any state. 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. ThePAC, organized by Zachary Bass, spent 90% of its take on fundraising, campaign filings show. 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 was found that only 2.7% of donations to the relief fund actually went to the families of fallen officers. But whats the truth. Sadly, it comes down to their choice of words during a pitch; its unlawful to misrepresent how the money will be spent. I've asked them repeatedly to stop calling this typically results in additional calls back to back from different numbers. If you get one of these calls, do not donate money just hang . The charitys affiliation with the government. 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. The groups videos have received few views, but money has been pouring in. The cause sounds worthy: Please support your local firefighters (or police officers), the caller implores. 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. "My brother was a police officer, my cousin was a cop and one of my sons is a cop," she said. What should we investigate next? In this case, the pitch was for money for helping police officers in the continuing war against cops.. proudly complies with state regulations and required disclosures. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. Read Also: What Are The Steps To Becoming A Police Officer. Simple web searches can show that the 'charitable organization' calling either 1 . 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. Write the names of the shady businesses in the comments section below, too. Ive become suspicious after reading what they had to say . This organization spends the vast majority of its donations on children. Leaving politics aside for a minute, how do you know if those calls are legitimate? Operators who are so susprised it's scam. Most of the money raised went to telemarketing 87 percent and other expenses. 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 . Recommended Reading: How Many Hours To Become A Police Officer, Read Also: What Education Do I Need To Be A Police Officer. 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. So have we all. 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. While some donors believe they are donating to . If it is a scam they are awfully convincing on the phone but are also rather forceful. 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. Also in Massachusetts, a Wilmington police officer received a call soliciting donations. Lots of different special interest groups are nonprofits, including some private businesses that pay their executives quite well. In the case of National Police Support Fund, we accept contributions and make expenditures in order to influence the selection, nomination, election, or appointment of candidates to federal, state, and local offices. He said he wanted a contribution for the police department and man and women who are fighting to protect us. As Smarter Giving notes, what is actually supports is the bank balances of its chief executives. 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. According to the complaint, DPSF conned people into donating more than $9.9 million. The answer is that, in many cases, these arent charities at all. Wow! 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. We found a website for them, but it gives very little information about the organization and their mission. 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. Virginia incorporation papers show James Fotis is president of the Alliance and changed the name to the Defense Coalition. Tax filings also show that the union operates its own call center and that a company the union controls purchased a nearly 20,000 square foot office building valued at more than $2.5 million, where the union is now based. The latter is the name of the PAC I found earlier that had raised $3.2 million in contributions. It sounded like the solicitor was calling from a boiler room, where individuals dial from a list of working phone numbers. Trade groups like those that represent the fast food or soft drink producers operate as nonprofits. The recording says it is "Kenneth Allen from the National Police Support Fund" and they are asking for donations. How much do I need to save for retirement? A union receptionist also confirmed to CNN that the super PAC is run by the union, but union leaders did not respond to repeated calls, voicemails and emails that laid out the concerns from other police departments and donors and asked why so little of the $10 million raised went toward political activities. 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. We support police officers who risk their lives daily protecting our communities. It's always a variation of the above name. The first thing I noticed was that I wasnt talking to live people; the answers all sounded scripted and recorded. He paused for a few seconds and said "okay, bye" and hung up the phone. National Association of Police Athletics/Activities League. The organization began as a service program providing mentorship and outreach activities to youth as a way to combat juvenile crime. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. AARP Membership LIMITED TIME FLASH SALE. Years later, as the success of the . Type of a scam Charity. This section is used to influence public opinion in support of the interests of . 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.. 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. 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. Please let me know if there are any actions ScamPulse.com suggests I take other than ignore any future requests. 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. 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. A warning tonight about a phone and mail scam asking for donations. Privacy Policy. I told him that I had some questions for him before I would donate. I told him I did not have any money to donate at the moment. 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 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. It only means they do not seek to make a profit on their activities. @GunOwners. 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. Groups like Antifa and Black Lives Matter have inspired people to assassinate cops on the street. Kids Wish Network, however, spends only 3 cents of every dollar collected on kids. "As Pennsylvanians look to support [] For example, a very well known and respected group is the Make a Wish Foundation. To find out more about these organizations, I probed the FEC website, where super PACs report their activity. Free online workshop! To promote the prevention of juvenile crime and violence by building relationships among kids, cops and community through positive engagement. 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. If you require additional information, then call us 1-800-247-4872 or email us at: 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 5), donations are not tax deductible pursuant to IRC 170(c. A copy of our latest financial report may be obtained by writing to: The International Union of Police Associations, 5632 Bee Ridge Road, Suite 200 Sarasota, FL . If you want to donate money for your police or fire department, send your contribution to the local sheriff or chiefs directly. Contributions made to National Police Support Fund are not tax-deductible. The safest way to donate on social media or crowdfunding campaign is to give to people you actually know. You May Like: Do You Need A Degree To Become A Police Officer. Fake joke to start out. Watch out for a new "police support fund" scam. The Better Business Bureau conducted an investigation and found . 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. With this in mind, the midterm election saw a new partnership between us, the National Police Support Fund, and the. generic photos, there is no real content validating that they do anything to actually support the police. 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. Soft on Crime groups are targeting record numbers of individual law enforcement officers in law suits for police brutality. Read Also: How Do You Know If The Police Are Investigating You. If they are PACs, the fundraising effort is politically motivated and wont necessarily support San Diego-area officers or deputies or their families. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. The pop-up charity business is usually local, occasionally regional and rarely national. 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. I did satisfy my rather small donation at their website https://nationalpolicesupportfund.com . On 11/4 another local call came it was the same man! Follow John on Instagram @johnmataresemoney, For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com. 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. It also transferred $30,000 to another pro-police super PAC that the union operates, based on the officers listed on its filings. People are receiving phone scam calls asking for donations to help out local police departments or slain and wounded police offers. 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. Across the industry, calls are computer-generated before being routed to telemarketers, something Politicause and TPFE employees said allowed their firms to maximize the number of calls and to pester people repeatedly. 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. What can we learn from the latest Coinbase cyberattack? If your phone rings, it's not us. A profit according to Investopedia.com is revenue that exceeds expenses. Its made up of series of regular steps timed to the beat of the music that can be improvised as needed. I told him that there is no such thing as a National Police Trust Fund. 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). 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. These Are the 9 Best Charities for Law Enforcement in 2023. POLICING THE MOST DANGEROUS CITY IN THE COUNTRY: What do Chicago's LEO's and citizens think? 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.. A special program within the International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO.Speaking With One Voice, Moving With One Purpose. Your email address will not be published. On 10/29/20 a man called to get pledges for national police support fund. It was found that only 2.7% of donations to the relief fund actually went to the families of fallen officers. again. An IRS report was filed on July 26. The case has not yet been resolved. 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. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. 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. And it's very easy to catch the eye of someone.". 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. 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. He was donating to anyone who asked him for money, he said. The National Police Support Fund. Only one replied directly: 90 percent went to fundraising, and 10 percent went to police support. When I asked which state this drive was for, the caller could not answer and instead said it is for a national charity. 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). Hispanic Federation (New York City) Abandoned Children's Fund. But then she started to worry, especially when she couldn't find the group listed as a charity anywhere online. Contact us: contact@knowyourpolice.net, SCAM: National Police Support Fund donation, How To Get Insurance Information From Police Report, Is National Police Association Legitimate, How Many Years Of College To Become A Police Officer, Do You Need A Degree To Become A Police Officer, What Are The Steps To Becoming A Police Officer, How Many Hours To Become A Police Officer, What Education Do I Need To Be A Police Officer, How Do You Know If The Police Are Investigating You. 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. 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 . Andy Cottam is among the many who received the call. The robot voice saying the call would be recorded for record purposes sounded so real but it was just him. The organization also has a Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. 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.. Please note that many legitimate local (and unaffiliated) police foundations and organizations may solicit donations from local communities via telephone and mail. Filed Jan. 29, 2020, 3:45 p.m. GMT. . It wasnt the usual automated call, and hearing a human voice kept me on the line. Bass, who set up several other super PACs, declined to comment. 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