The Floyd County Sheriff’s Department is warning about telephone solicitors from an organization that many consider to be a scam.
Several Floyd County homeowners have contacted police recently to report receiving calls from people claiming to represent an organization called the Police Protective Fund. According to police, the callers are seeking donations to help children.
The number on the caller ID shows a 317 area code, which is from Indianapolis.
No local police agencies or Fraternal Order of Police lodges are soliciting for donations and none of the money collected by the national organization goes to local law enforcement agencies, police say.
The Police Protective Fund has received numerous complaints on watchdog Web sites that track scams. Some of the common complaints are that the callers imply they represent local police agencies and that they try to intimidate people into donating.
The organization denies on its Web site, www.policeprotectivefund.org, that it is a scam. It claims that it spends nearly 29 cents of every dollar raised on charitable programming.
The California Attorney General filed a lawsuit in May charging the organization with underreporting its expenses and overreporting its expenditure on charitable programs.
The charity has not provided information to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Report. The BBB advises against giving to charities that do not disclose financial information for review.
Advise from sheriff’s department about charitable giving
The sheriff’s department advises that just because an organization is tax exempt, that does not mean your contribution is tax deductible. It also says to be never donate if a caller tries to pressure you into giving.
If a charity claims your money will support a local organization, call that organization to verify the claim. For security and tax record purposes, it is recommended to pay by check.
Names that sound similar to well-known charities are oftentimes scams, and be wary of anyone thanking you for a pledge you do not remember making.
Charities are exempt from the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call Registry. Go to http://www.ftc.gov/donotcall for more information.
Check out the charity with these organizations: BBB Wise Giving Alliance at
703-276-0100 or www.give.org; or the American Institute of Philanthropy at
773-529-2300 or www.charitywatch.org.
Floyd County
February 6, 2010
Floyd police warn about possible telephone scam
- Floyd County
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