Police Charity Scams

Last week I received a call from a police organization collecting donations to benefit charity. It all happened so fast that I can’t recall the specifics, but I instantly recognized the scam. Here’s how it usually plays out: You’re told they represent an area law enforcement organization that has a familiar, official ring to it, and then the charity they’re supporting. It always sounds above board and incredibly worthwhile. Far too often, what they don’t reveal is that only a small percentage of your donation actually goes to charity.

How it works: Professional fundraising companies approach police organization around the country and offer them a split/percentage of the donations they collect. In exchange they keep whatever remains. Some consumer fraud investigations have found that these companies keep up to 70% of the money collected, and because of the way the laws are written, it’s completely legal. What’s most despicable is that by attaching themselves to the police, they create a false impression that they’re trustworthy, playing upon your sympathy. After all, who can refuse giving to a charity supported by our boys in blue? And while I’m sure there are legitimate police fundraising efforts out there, it’s almost impossible to tell which are legit, and which are simply moneymaking scams.

Back to my phone call… I told them it was unfortunately a bad time, and we were on a tight family budget. They then told me about the lowest amount I could donate. I held firm, said I was sorry, and that I needed to care for my family first. At that point they hung up on me. No “thanks for listening”, no “we understand”, the phone just went dead.

Here’s an article by the Hartford Advocate that does a great job of covering this story. Wish I could find more articles that document this legal scam.