Grateful for the men and women who put their lives on the line daily, many Ohioans give regularly -- and generously -- to police- and firefighter-related nonprofits.
While most of these organizations are legitimate charities that do good work, others serve as a reminder of why we need police officers in the first place: Society is plagued by bad people who do bad things.
That sad reality was underscored last week when the Delaware County sheriff's office urged Ohioans to steer clear of the United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association. The organization, which purports to offer law-enforcement grants nationwide, is a sham, the agency said.
Sheriff Walter L. Davis III said his agency began looking at the association after an area resident called to verify its legitimacy. In response to a mailing from the group, the man had sent two donations totaling $95.
Davis said his investigators determined that the association's "office" was actually a mailbox at a UPS store in Ashburn, Va.
"The founder of the organization recently passed away," Davis said, "and since that time, someone has been fraudulently soliciting donations from unsuspecting donors."
Unfortunately, there's no shortage of scammers angling to take advantage of the good will earned by police and fire agencies -- especially after highly publicized tragedies involving those in uniform.
How can you avoid becoming a victim?
First, don't make assumptions based on an organization's name, the Better Business Bureau advises.
"The words police and firefighter in the organization's name don't necessarily mean that local members of the force -- or any officers, for that matter -- are involved in any way," the watchdog group says.
The Federal Trade Commission and Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit group that evaluates U.S. charities, offer these tips:
* Give locally: Don't trust an out-of-state charity to channel money to the police or firefighters who serve you. If you want to support your local or state police or fire department, find out where it prefers to have donations directed.
* Never give over the phone: Some charities rely on for-profit telemarketing companies, which can keep as much as 90 cents out of every dollar raised.
* Do your homework: Ask for a copy of the charity's annual financial report. Federal law requires most nonprofit groups to make available to the public their three most recent IRS Form 990 filings -- or tax returns.
Finally, the BBB, the FTC and Charity Navigator all agree that any promise of "special treatment" should be an immediate red flag.
In fact, if any solicitation hints at favorable treatment for those who give (or threatens the opposite for those who don't), call the police immediately -- not to make a donation, but to report a crime.
Copyright 2012 The Columbus DispatchAll Rights Reserved
