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Charity Phone Scams


NOTICE: TO ALL CONCERNED Certain text files and messages contained on this site deal with activities and devices which would be in violation of various Federal, State, and local laws if actually carried out or constructed. The webmasters of this site do not advocate the breaking of any law. Our text files and message bases are for informational purposes only. We recommend that you contact your local law enforcement officials before undertaking any project based upon any information obtained from this or any other web site. We do not guarantee that any of the information contained on this system is correct, workable, or factual. We are not responsible for, nor do we assume any liability for, damages resulting from the use of any information on this site.

Creators Syndicate

FIGHT BACK! BY DAVID HOROWITZ

Charity Phone Scams

Many legitimate charities use telephone solicitors to raise
money for their causes. But their efforts are often hampered by
telemarketers who use people's charitable impulses to line their own
pockets. This has been going on for years, but fraud investigators say
charity scams are on the rise again.
The Los Angeles Times recently conducted an in-depth
investigation of a telemarketer based in Burbank, Calif. It found that
the company had deposited donations made out to nine charities it did
not represent and 24 other causes that are not even registered with
the Internal Revenue Service as non-profit organizations. The
telemarketer did have fund- raising contracts with three charities that
allowed the solicitor to keep between 85 percent and 90 percent of all
the money it collected for "expenses."
The company's president told the Times that "mistakes" had
been made by over-zealous solicitors who were acting beyond his
control. He said he had returned contributors' donations whenever he
discovered any misrepresentation. Still, the company reportedly earned
more than $2.6 million over the past four years. Last year, it brought
in more than $500,000 in donations but turned over only $63,000 to the
causes it represented.
State and local agencies are now investigating the
telemarketer's operation. But the law puts no limit on solicitors'
commissions or fund-raising expenses. In order to prosecute,
investigators must prove the callers deliberately misrepresented the
causes they claim to represent.
Telemarketers all over the country operate on both sides of
the law, collecting donations for sick and abused children, veterans
groups, programs for the elderly and disabled, hospitals, and medical
research.
Another popular scam is the police and fire come-on. These
callers represent themselves either as police officers and
firefighters or members of some public-safety support group. They
claim they are raising money for various campaigns sponsored by local
police and fire departments. Sometimes, the pitch can be very
intimidating. A telemarketer in Santa Ana, Calif., was arrested for
threatening reluctant contributors that they would have "trouble" with
the police if they refused to donate to two statewide law-enforcement
associations and a fund for retired and disabled firefighters. In
fact, very few public-service agencies solicit cash donations from the
public. Investigators say most of these solicitations are simply
scams.
How can you spot this kind of charity pitch? If the caller
won't wait for a check in the mail, wants to pick up your donation in
person, is vague about the charity he or she is collecting for or is
reluctant to send you printed literature, then it's probably just
another phony come-on. If you're not familiar with the caller's
organization, check it out. If it's legitimate, they'll tell you who
they are, where they work and what charities they benefit.
The important thing is to take your time and be sure that you
are contributing to a worthwhile cause. If you're not certain, then
send your gift directly to the hospital or charity. That way, you'll
know exactly where your money is going and how it will be spent.
If you have questions or comments, please write to David
Horowitz at 72662,1775. COPYRIGHT 1994 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.


 
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