Image killer for law enforcement
These types of aggressive, phony fundraising campaigns done over the phone are a disaster for the image of law enforcement.
It’s a problem everywhere. Unscrupulous phone solicitation outfits call local businesses and residents. The caller lies and says he’s a police officer who is either raising money for a cause or trying to sell an ad in the police association magazine. In the United States, several states (including Maine) have passed laws making these fundraising scams a crime, but not enough has been done. Committing these crimes in the name of law enforcement has been very damaging and police associations and unions should take a proactive effort to shut these operations down.
The latest fraudulent fund raising scheme comes from Calgary in Canada forcing the police there to warn citizens about a scam making the rounds in which a caller attempts to sell ads for a non-existent police publication. Complaints started to come into the Calgary Police Service which like most law enforcement agencies, does not solicit people for money or engage in fundraising.
Residents reported that a man called aggressively asking that people place ads in “Calgary Police News Magazine” – a magazine that does not exist. Victims were also asked to provide personal information and credit card numbers.
The caller’s number was traced to Woodbridge, Virginia. Calgary Police are advising residents who get these calls to take down as much information about the caller as possible, including any phone numbers that appear on call display, and to report the incident by calling police or Crime Stoppers.
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