Police Warn Of Fake Charity Phone Calls In Arlington

ARLINGTON, VA -- If you get a call from someone claiming to be from the Arlington County Police Department and asking for money, don't buy it.

Police are warning of a scam that has been going around where someone who says they're with the police department asks for donations to benefit disabled and underprivileged children.

"The Arlington County Police Department is reminding citizens that representatives of this agency have never and will never call to solicit funds or collect fines," police said in a statement.

You should be suspicious of any unsolicited phone calls where the caller asks for funds or says you owe money. Don't trust the phone number you see on your caller ID: they can be faked.

Police offered a few tips for sniffing out a scam:

• Request to see the solicitor’s identification.
• Research the cause and organization you are considering donating to.
• Ask questions of the solicitor such as:
  • whether the caller is from a telemarketing company or works directly for the charity
  • what programs are conducted by the charity
  • how much of your donation will be used for a charitable program
  • how much the telemarketer guarantees to the charity.
• See it in writing. Ask the caller to send you information about the charity, including its annual report or a brochure outlining its accomplishments.
• Check an organization’s reliability by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline – Handled by the Office of the Attorney General, VA toll free at 800-552-9963 or at 804-786-2042. To find out more about the charitable organization and how much your contribution will be used for charitable purposes, call the Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs (OCRP) within the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 804-786-1343.

Image via ACPD