LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa.– Police are warning residents of a phone scam involving scammers impersonating a police officer benefit organization.
Recently, a retired police officer received a call from a man who claimed he was collecting money for the American Police Officer’s Alliance.
He stated that the organization provided training and equipment for police officers across the nation and that funds were needed “to keep our officers safe.”
The retired officer told the caller he was a retired officer and had never heard of his organization nor received any training or equipment funds from them.
The officer asked the caller where they were located and how long they had been around, and the caller thanked him and hung up.
The phone number that appeared was 267-843-1255, generated from the Philadelphia area.
However, upon further review, the organization was not listed on the IRS website, and any attempt to call the number back led to an automated message saying that all agents were busy at that time.
Police are urging residents to be caution when receiving unsolicited phone calls asking for donations.
If you have a doubt about the legitimacy of a group, you can always check the IRS website at https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos.
