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Some of the most aggressive actions against allegedly deceptive PACs and their fundraisers have come from state or local law enforcement officials. So we can Verify, National Coalition for Police and Troopers is a site owned by a PAC, isn't a charitable organization. Find Reviews, Ratings, Directions, Business Hours, Contact Information and book online appointment. said Trenton Police Lt. Mike Hawkins. How do I know you are telling the truth or the people who talked to you are telling the truth? he said. Can you help me contact the police? When organizations operate as political action committees, however, they are not subject to the laws governing charity fundraising, according to federal and state regulators and telemarketing industry officials. The PAC's goal is to advocate on behalf of the LEO's that have done so much for our great country. The PAC, organized by Zachary Bass, spent 90% of its take on fundraising, campaign filings show. Drug abuse was a problem at both call centers, ex-employees said. Callers said they did so quickly and proudly, hoping people wouldnt catch on. I cant speak to peoples understanding or what the scripts said., I dont think you understand how hard it is to fundraise. But what's the truth. Some telemarketers who claim to be raising money for causes like homeless veterans and cancer victims work for political action committees , not charities, and keep much of the money they raise. Training and Educational programs for todays changing law enforcement environment. Gelvan agreed to a permanent ban on raising money for charity in New York in 2004 in a case that accused him of deceptive telemarketing for a state troopers charity, court documents show, and he paid a $50,000 finefor violating that agreement 10 years later. One of the best Community Service/Non-Profit, Community & Social Services business at 1549 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota FL, 34236 United States. How Scam PACs fall through the cracks of U.S. regulators, The motto was, Leave your morals at the door, said Alexander Lefler, 21, who worked for nearly a year at a call center southeast of Birmingham, Alabama, describing what he saw as high-pressure and deceptive tactics. For the record, on their website, it never calls itself a charity or non-profit. Your phone number(s) will remain on the registry for five years from the date you register. Mostly they are the products of individual scammers who smell an opportunity to cash in using the name of a victim who may or may not even be real. Richard Zeitlin, the biggest fundraiser in the loose network identified by Reuters, told a reporter in a brief interview that he had closed down all of his call centers, saying I wanted a change in direction. Asked about ex-employees claims of deception in his companies PAC fundraising practices, he declined to discuss specifics. Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC; National Police and Troopers Association; . Its important to remember that these numbers are just for the 50 worst offenders. 5 On Your Side can verify the National Police and Troopers Association is an actual charity. For instance, the operation raised $16.8 million for PACs founded by Robert Piaro of Fredonia, Wisconsin, which purported to support police, veterans and people with breast cancer. , What is the American police and troopers Coalition PAC? This organizationspends the vast majority of its donations on children. Just as you sit down to dinner, the phone rings and the caller asks for a donation. St. Louis area media contacts: Chris Thetford, Vice. Do They Ever Explode? "A lot of people want to engage the scammer and keep them on the phone and have a little . Read Also: What Are The Steps To Becoming A Police Officer. We do not manage client funds or hold custody of assets, we help users connect with relevant financial advisors. Nonprofit however does not mean they are a charity. Phony Firefighters Scam. Have a question? The Albuquerque Police Department is warning the public to not send any money or personal information to anyone if you receive the letter in the mail. As his office pursued the money trail in the Bass investigation, for instance, Friedman said it came across an organization called Market Process Group, one of the eight fundraisers examined by Reuters. Virginia incorporation papers show James Fotis is president of the Alliance and changed the name to the Defense Coalition. They often are set up as super PACs, groups which in recent years have been empowered by the courts to raise and spend money in unlimited amounts, with little regulation. At the time Reuters visited, the firms Hoover call center was jammed with desks and callers on headsets. A day or two or even a week is not going to make a difference. Rylan Huntsman. The National Police & Sheriff's Coalition PAC is a non-party political organization (not a charity) established and regulated under section 527 of the tax code. [The Strange Truth! In return for tax-exempt status, charities generally must register with states, disclose their key employees and account for how the money is spent in some cases by providing audited financial statements. Reuters Investigates offers several ways to securely contact our reporters. If the claim cannot be verified, report the solicitation to your local law enforcement officials. The website has a sarasota Florida contact address and a copyright date of 2019 so I am thinking this is the new face of the same fraudulent organization and would like to get the word out. US Troopers and Police Association National Assitance Committee P.O. In interviews, a dozen former employees of Politicause and Zeitlins TPFE described techniques they used to wrangle donations, leaving contributors with the impression they were giving to good causes. Bass, who set up several other super PACs, declined to comment. You read that correctly. 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. A special program within the International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO.Speaking With One Voice, Moving With One Purpose. For the record, on their website, it never calls itself a charity or non . Another law enforcement charity that faced disciplinary action was the American Association of State Troopers, which was fined a total of $321,115 in three states - Georgia, Mississippi and Pennsylvania. There are plenty of variations on this scam, but one that is making the rounds in the Wichita area currently identifies itself as being from the Fraternal Order of Police . When a solicitor for one of these groups calls a prospective donor the pitch will include the truthful statement that they are a nonprofit organization. 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. But she said the panel has been paralyzed by partisan divisions and, more recently, a lack of a quorum. Both Politicause and TPFE had procedures to keep workers with fraud convictions from handling credit card information, former callers said, although Politicause workers said the rules were sometimes relaxed for high performers. National Coalition for Police & Troopers A Special Program of Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC Our officers deserve our respect and support Reasons to Support Paid for by Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC, an independent expenditure-only committee, www.leoforasaferamerica.org and not authorized by any candidate committee. They count on local press coverage and a quick website. What is wrong with giving somebody a second chance? Zeitlin responded when Reuters asked about his hiring practices. She said she would like to see the panel mandate more disclosure to donors about how much of their money is going to fundraisers, as well as stronger fraud protections in federal campaign law. Can Batteries Catch On Fire? Ultimately, changes must come at the federal level, said Ellen Weintraub, a Democrat who chairs the Federal Election Commission. There are all sorts of questions that you could go through to determine if the solicitor on the other end of the phone is from an honest to goodness charity or not. Committee name: POLICE AND TROOPER SUPPORT PAC. When a solicitor for one of these groups calls a prospective donor the pitch will include the truthful statement that they are a nonprofit organization. The most sure-fire solution is to ask for the name of the organization and a means to contact them so you can make your donation at another time. It only takes minutes but allows you to feel better about your donation. 108th Street #201 in West Allis, Wisconsin. I'm in another country and I need help, can you help me? Is the National Coalition for Police and Troopers a charity? It tries to sound like a legitimate police "charity" but is really a dark money PAC that is explicitly warned about by many other sites, such as policefoundation.org. Eric Friedman, the Montgomery County consumer protection offices director, said he used his countys laws prohibiting deceptive trade practices to win the settlement. We wish it was 100, but we have to keep the lights on.. Their address is listed as 1655 Fort Myer Dr Suite 700 Arlington, VA 22209, an office building listed as Rosslyn Center. The call centers in Alabama, along with others in Nevada, New Jersey, and Florida, raise money on behalf of scam PACs, slang among criticsfor political action committees that purport to support worthy causes but in reality hand over little of the money for political or charitable purposes. AMERICAN POLICE AND TROOPERS COALITION PAC C00809467 8 8 Ridge Innovative 2124 Union ave. 44.05 Costa Mesa CA 92627 Transaction ID : SE-S1007769 Phonebank Long Distance(Estimate) 004 AMODEI, MARK, EUGENE, , NV 02 8 6056.50 2022 Standard Data Services LLC 141.93 513 Mill Ave SE Suite 206 New Philadelphia OH 44663 Transaction ID : SE-S1007765 In Montgomery County, Maryland, the consumer protection office recently won a settlement against a super PAC called Heroes United, run by Zachary Bass of Baltimore. It wouldve been nice to know that my money was going to a PAC, not a charity, and that it wasnt going to actually help police and firefighters directly.. But scam PACs are not like other political action committees. Most of the guys that are real good are felons., Regulators responsible for protecting U.S. consumers from potentially unscrupulous fundraisers face a bedeviling new challenge: the scam PAC.. It spent $103,700 on behalf of House candidates about 3% of the total, and it has contributed nothing directly to veterans groups.