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CHARITY SOLICITATIONS?
Have you been contacted about donating money
to a Law Enforcement Organization, Police
Association or 9/11 Charity? Check the Better Business Bureau's Tips before you consider giving any money to
an organization or individual that calls
you claiming to represent a charity.
| It is estimated that more money
donated by well meaning citizens toward the
families of 9/11 victims went to scam-artists
and fraudulent "charity" groups
than actually went to those it was intended
for. A recent United States Congressional
study estimated that over 40 billion dollars are
"stolen" via telephone fraud each
year! |
In most cases, even legitamate
"cold-calling" companies, working
under agreement or contract with real law
enforcement-related organizations, only give
10% to 20% of the total proceeds to the actual
charity! The worst part is, once you donate
to one of these operations, more often than
not, your name, address and telephone number
are routinely sold to a variety of other
"charity" groups to be called on
again and again for additional charity solicitations!
Fraudulent telephone and e-mail solicitations
are not the only types of scams you may encounter.
Below is a list of some common types of fraud,
each item can be "clicked" to read
tips and preventative measures, provided
by the National White Collar Crime Center (a division of the FBI).
If you have been the victim of a fraud perpetrated
on the Internet, you may file a complaint
with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center,
a service of the FBI at http://www.ifccfbi.gov.
| CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CHARITY FRAUD |
Con artists often garner sympathy from their
victims by using the name of a recognized
and respected charity organization, or a
name similar to a legitimate charity name,
to obtain "donations." Con artists
try to strike an emotional chord with their
victims through fear or compassion. Fraudulent
fundraising scams often step up after a natural
disaster or a nationwide news event. Con
artists tug at your heartstrings by asking
for money for tornado or flood survivors,
the families of slain officers or shooting
victims or other disaster victims.
Always ask a phone solicitor:
What is the exact purpose of the charity?
What
is the address and phone number where
the solicitor
and the charity can be reached?
What
percentage of my contribution will go
to the
charity's cause (as opposed to administrative
and other
overhead costs)?
Is my
contribution 100% tax deductible?
Can you
send
me literature
about your charity?
Hang up when:
The caller tries to rush you into making
a decision. Most consumers receive numerous requests
from legitimate charitable organizations.
It's impossible to give to all of them, no
matter how heart-wrenching or worthy the
cause. A budget and structured plan for charitable
giving can help put your hard-earned dollars
to good use while helping the causes that
mean the most to you.
The caller gets hostile when you ask specific
questions and is not willing to give you
any information in writing. Legitimate charities always have written
information they can send you. Don't let
a stranger browbeat you into sending a donation.
No legitimate charity would allow hostile
phone solicitation tactics. If you feel offended,
attacked or defensive while talking with
a solicitor, hang up immediately. If they
call back, let your answering machine pick
up the call.
The caller requests a money order, cashier's
check, wire transfer, or personal check to
be picked up from your home or work, by a
"courier". The caller might also ask you for your bank
account number for a bank draft.. Never give
out this information. These methods of payment
are never used by legitimate charities and are commonly
used by con artists to avoid the risk of
being caught.
You might feel more comfortable paying by
credit card because you usually have some
way to challenge the charge within a given
time period. However, experienced scam artists
also know how to get around this rule, so
you're not as safe as you may think.
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| National Crime Prevention Council Article:
CHARITY
FRAUD |
The San Bruno Police Association does not solicit donations by telephone
or door-to-door and does not authorize anyone
to do so on our behalf. If someone unexpectedly
calls you or shows up at your door, claiming
to be a member or authorized agent of the
San Bruno Police Association and they
are requesting a donation, they are a fraud.
Please do not give them your name or address,
do not confirm any information about your
identity they provide and do not give them
a donation! If you feel comfortable
doing so, ask them for their name, an address
to mail a possible "future donation"
and/or call-back number and report the incident
to the San Bruno Police Department immediately
(650) 616-7100.
The San Bruno Police Association donates thousands of dollars each year to
a wide variety of groups, teams and charities.
Currently, our primary fundraiser is the
annual 4th of July "Red Devil"
brand, safe-and-sane, fireworks booth (hosted
in the JCPenney's parking lot at Tanforan
Park Shopping Center). Currently, state approved
"safe-and-sane" fireworks within
San Mateo County are only allowed in the
cities of San Bruno and Pacifica and only
preceding and during the brief 4th of July
Holiday. Recently, the San Mateo County
Grand Jury made a recommendation that the
county pass an ordinance outlawing the sales
and use of state-regulated "safe-and-sane"
fireworks in all cities within San Mateo
County. If this happens, not only will a
centuries-old patriotic tradition come to
an end, but our single largest source of
fundraising revenue will be curtailed.
A BIT ABOUT FIREWORKS..
It is understandable why may fire prevention
professionals and some concerned citizens
are against the use of any fireworks for
the purpose of annual patriotic celebration.
But, it is important to remember that an
overwhelming majority of the fires and injuries
that occur during early summer and throughout
the July 4th Holiday are actually a result
of illegal fireworks and explosive devices (such as "bottle rockets", aerial
salutes, firecrackers and M-80/M-100 type
ground and aerial explosives), that are already prohibited by state law. Use of illegal fireworks and explosive devices can be misdemeanor and felony offenses that
carry heavy fines and may result in jail
time for even a first-offense conviction!
The San Bruno Police Association does not condone the unsafe use of any state-regulated ("safe-and-sane")
fireworks or the unlawful use of illegal fireworks and explosive or
incendiary devices. We feel large-scale public
fireworks displays in conjunction with the
responsible use of legal, safe-and-sane,
fireworks are a sensible and reasonable alternative
to the use of illegal fireworks. It is our
hope that by providing a safe and well-regulated
alternative to the use of unlawful fireworks
and dangerous explosives, we can help make
our community safer and reduce the number
and severity of fire-related accidents that
result in destruction of property and tragic
injuries to participants and by-standers
alike. We are glad to say there has never
been a documented injury or accidental fire
resulting from the responsible use of safe-and-sane
fireworks in San Bruno. We feel the "stepped
up" enforcement and vigorous prosecution
of existing state laws pertaining to the
use and possession of illegal fireworks and explosive devices is the answer to the legitimate concerns
regarding 4th of July Holiday fireworks problems
in San Bruno.
OUR ASSOCIATION'S DONATION LIST
NorCal Region Special Olympics www.sonc.org
San Bruno Baseball Pee Wee League (Tee-Ball).
"Buzz
the Fuzz" to benefit juvenile cancer patients.
San Bruno Police "Santa Cops" Program
SanBrunoPolice.com/santacops.htm
Parkside (Middle
School) Sports
Program.
A more detailed list is coming soon!
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