Police do not solicit by phone

He says his name is Jeff, from the &#8220Police Veterans Association” and he wants you to give money to help. It's summertime, and the telemarketing scam artists are back.
According to a December, 2005 report from the New York State Attorney General's office, New Yorkers gave over $170 million to hundreds of charities through 555 telemarketing campaigns the previous year. On average, the charities received a little over 37% of the money raised, the rest going to the telemarketers.
The report, entitled &#8220Pennies to Charity - Where Your Money Goes” is a real revelation.
Only one campaign (in 2004, the year covered by the report) netted over 90% to the charity. In 45 campaigns, the charity got 10% or less, and astoundingly, in 23 of those campaigns, there was an apparent loss to the charity.
What is worse, the report, issued by the New York State Department of Law Charities Bureau, only covers the telemarketers who are registered fundraisers with the State, and doesn't include the outright swindlers.
According to Joseph Mancini, a representative for the New York City Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (NYC PBA), &#8220We don't solicit funds, and frown on the process. There are a few legitimate organizations, like the Fraternal Order of Police, who solicit on the phone, but most of them are not really affiliated with the Police.”
There is a &#8220National Association of Veteran Police Officers,” in Austin Texas. It is on the list of &#8220Cancelled Charitable Organizations” in the report, along with groups like the Hope Cancer Fund, and the Enlisted Association of the New York National Guard.
Gary Poggiali, the community affairs officer at the 111th Precinct in Bayside confirms Mancini's statement. &#8220Nobody in the NYPD solicits money - not the PBA or the sergeants, or anyone else,” Poggiali said. &#8220They even called me, from some organization claiming to be with the State Police, I took down whatever information I could get, and then called Internal Affairs,” Poggiali admitted.
Brad Maione at the Attorney General's office advises, &#8220Ask questions and get it in writing when you get called.” The report also advises:
Individuals considering contributing via a telemarketing appeal should ask the caller if he/she is employed by a professional fundraiser and is being paid to solicit contributions. The law requires that telemarketers disclose this information.
Contributors should also remember that they always have the option of contributing directly to a charity.
Mancini said that the NYC PBA has an official charity, the &#8220Widows' and Children's Fund” which will accept contributions, and advised people to &#8220be smart and ask questions.”