Today’s paper mentioned sketchy fundraisers posing as the highway patrol, so that was on my mind when I got a call this evening from a 704 area code. A man claimed to be calling on behalf of the Police Protective Fund (PPF) and looking for tax-deductible donations. As soon as he said “tax-deductible,” I asked him “can I get your tax id?”
The folksy caller didn’t skip a beat, saying he’d have to get up from his desk to get it. After he got up, I heard a number of other telephone solicitors calling folks as the “North Carolina Police Protective Fund.” The main I talked with never said “North Carolina,” so I became a little more suspicious. He came back to the phone a minute or so later and dutifully read his organization’s tax id number: 74-2864446.
My next question was “do you have a website?” At this, the man politely gave me the website address, Police USA, and offered that I could make a donation through the website if I chose to. He then politely but directly wrapped up the call, wishing me a good evening.
I went to the website of the PPF and found their IRS tax return for 2007 helpfully posted. As you can see, the lion’s share of the Police Protective Fund’s money goes into the pockets of … wait for it … the Police Protective Fund!
That might be why Charity Navigator gave the PPF zero stars as a charity. According to Charity Navigator, the net assets raised by the PPF is a little more than twice the salary of its CEO. That might also explain why Maryland’s Montgomery County urged the Maryland Attorney General to open an investigation against them.
If you get a call from the Police Protective Fund, you’re best bet is to tell ’em “no thanks” and hang up.
Update: Read the corporate and charity documents here.