Be Wary of Certain Public Safety Charities
By Teresa Ambord
If you get a call from someone raising funds for your local police or firefighters, ask questions. Most of us appreciate the work of our emergency responders, and many people are happy to give them a little extra monetary support for their programs.
Unfortunately, scam artists count on this emotional connection to a cause. After the terror attacks of 9/11, Americans gave unprecedented donations to help the victims and their families, as well as the emergency crews, only to find out that some of the money was lost to scams. The same thing happens every day with some fake charities that claim to be collecting money for police and fire fighters.
This doesn’t mean you should automatically suspect any call asking you to donate to the police or firefighter funds. These groups often do sponsor events like circuses and concerts as a way to raise money. But if you’re not positive who the caller is, ask questions.
Ask the caller how much of the money you give actually gets to the programs they represent. Some organizations calling themselves charities pay their administrators very high salaries, leaving only a few cents on the dollar for the intended beneficiaries.
If you are inclined to give, ask the caller to send you some literature and a donor form. This accomplishes several things:
- One, scamsters will probably refuse.
- Two, legitimate or not, it prevents you from giving important credit information over the phone.
- Three, it gives you time to check out the organization through the Better Business Bureau
- Four, it provides you with literature stating that your donation is (or isn’t) tax deductible.
Some fundraisers (even some legitimate ones) will tell you the organization is tax-exempt. That is not the same as saying your donation will be tax deductible. They may be counting on you to not know the difference.
If the caller agrees to send you a mailing, but asks for your credit card information just to “secure” the donation, refuse. Even if it is a legitimate call, it locks you into donating even if you later decide against it. And if it isn’t legitimate, you’ve just given away the keys to the kingdom. If the caller insists that he or she needs your credit card number, hang up.
If the caller claims to represent a non-profit but asks you to make the check out to an individual (for the sake of ease) decline. Not only is that suspicious, but donations made to individuals are not tax-deductible. Your only proof of the donation may be your check.
If the caller offers to pick up the donation at your home so the money can speed its way to the charity, say no. Real charities don’t operate that way.
If the caller, representing police officers, promises some special treatment in exchange for a donation, decline. Example: if you display the peace officer decal (which you get for donating) on your car, you’ll be less likely to get speeding tickets.
You can also ask the fund-raiser to call you back the next night. Then call the group that the caller claimed to represent and verify the claims made.
Listen carefully to the name of the organization. It’s becoming a common trick to attach terms like “firefighter” and “police officers” to a group’s name in order to get donations. Some of these agencies are legitimate, but still may not be what you think they are. Labor unions and professional associations that represent such groups are not the same as the officers themselves, thought they may not mention that. They exist largely for lobbying purposes, which is why, if you donate to a union or association, your donation is probably not tax deductible.
Even scamsters may sound very professional over the phone. That’s how they succeed. Legitimate police officer and firefighter charities need our donations. Don’t let the frauds divert money that could be doing some real good.
You can get a free copy of the publication Donating to Public Safety Fund-Raisers by visiting the Federal Trade Commission Web site:
- FTC
- or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261.
