i googled the name fop mem found and it comes up as the fraternal order of police memorial foundation

Called and asked for "the lady of the house" when my room-mate (a male) answered.  My roommate asked him why.. the caller couldnt answer, just said..."We'll take your number off our list" and hung up. They never once said who they were or why they were calling.

I see comments on other sites that this is some kind of "charity." I don't know - I automatically hang up on them without answering.

dear main...
Its sad that you only "give" when its "worth" it to you.  The FOP is very legitimate.  It is cops helping cops and cops helping the community.  Like many fraternal orginizations they have a phone solicitation company help them to raise funds.  If you want out, you simply tell them to take you off the list.  They do.

Ask the families of officers killed in the line of duty, or who have lost children what they think about the FOP.    Let me know how much you gave them Ill personaly be happy to refund your money.  Hate to think anyone would feel riped because it was not "worth" it to them.  Darn, I always thought we gave because it was worth something to someone else.

They call all different times... I don't care if they are legitimate or not, those overpaid nazi thugs are not getting any of my money.

LAME TELEMARKETER. IF YOU ARE READING THIS.  YOU DO HAVE THE TALENT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.  TRY TO GET SOME REHAB AND YOUR METH CONVICTION EXPUNGED.  IF YOU ARE JUST IN HIGH SCHOOL - SERIOUSLY THERE ARE BETTER PLACES TO WORK!  DON'T LET THAT SLICK MANAGER TYPE CONVINCE YOU THAT THIS WORK IS REALLY COOL.  GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE, DESIGN WEBSITES, APPLY AT COSTCO, BE A REAL POLICE OFFICER.  THIS WORK IS WORTHLESS, ANNOYING, AND VALIDATES YOU AS A COMPLETE WASTE OF SPACE.

There is insurance for these purposes and better ways to ask for donations than calling people at home with a slick line of deceptive crap.  Show me some statistics about how much of this money goes to families of police officers killed in action?  When this type of thing happens the communities step up huge as it is.  Are you telling me this telemarketing money pays for the kids college education?  

Don't call me asking for a specific person who doesn't live here then start some pitch where you are trying to hold yourself out as a state agency and need my money!

These TELEMARKETERS are clearly getting a huge cut of whatever "donation" they manage to talk out of you.  They need to focus there energies elsewhere, it is a pathetic profession!  Any police agency that is condoning this needs to rethink their "fundraising" strategy - this is not the Girls Scouts but a Tax payer funded governmental service!

They ask for "Melinda" - you say "No that person is not here - wrong number", then they say "Ok, how are you? here is why I am calling."  This gets me everytime.

I say "wait a second, I thought you were looking for Melinda?  Do you know who I am?  How is that I can just replace Melinda?"

I hate to disparage anyone who is trying to make a living, but come on, please do not be a telemarketer!

Those are are legit people on this board, trust me, there are those on here who are in fact part of this scam that post on here. Whatever they say, don't believe it. Yes, the DoNotCall registry exempts charity organizations but the scammers claim to be calling from the Fraternal Order of Police, when in fact they AREN'T! That is the scam! They are playing each and every one of you who are gullible enough to give out your credit cards or mail-in payment. You may feel all warm and fuzzy inside because you THINK you did the right thing by donating, but on the other end of the phone is some slime ball twirling a pencil in one hand, with a big grin on his face the moment he hears you will say you will donate.

These monies gathered DO NOT go to help out the Police or their families, etc. They go straight into the pockets of the scammers. As someone else posted on here, a REAL LEGIT organization which helps fallen Officers get the respect they deserve is the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial organization which is found at http://www.wslemf.org/ and is recognized by the State of Washington. BUT scammers will call and pretend to be with them as well, simply NEVER DONATE OVER THE PHONE. Send in your donation to a charity directly such as WSLEM.

It's amazing how clueless those are that think their money when given over the phone is going for good, when in fact, it isn't. And if you get a call from these places, REPORT THEM on the DoNotCall Registry immediately by filing a complaint.

I would have to guess "Ben" is one of those guys who pretends to be with the Fraternal Order of Police calling you asking you to donate. When people finally wake up and educate themselves about the power of the telephone scam, will scammers finally realize they have lost.

They all will send you out a bogus letter and a sticker. If that is all that it takes to convince you to donate to a charity, then let me know your address, and I will type up a nice letter how I could use some money, and even include a sticker too.

People, don't be so gullible. Scammers are so successful at what they do because they prey on the weak-minded and easily swayed. I am Pro-Police, have been my entire life, but if you really want to donate your money to help law enforcement, donate it to the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation (http://www.wslemf.org/) which is a legit organization, you can even support them by getting an official license plate through DOL as well.

The Washington State Fraternal Order of Police telemarketers are in no way affiliated with them and are just using their name to scam people out of money. I got a call last night from a slick willy-type guy last night reading from his script. The phone number showed up as coming from Maple Valley, 425-437-0641. I told him he was running a scam and he promptly hung up. I reported it on the DoNotCall.gov registry this morning because it isn't a charitable call.

Got a call, did not answer, no message left.  I am on do not call list.

We don't answer if we don't recognize the number and are also on the do not call list - useless as far as we can tell.  Someone commented that this isn't a scam as it is affiliated with actual police and fire depts.  Maybe so, but when I researched this a few yrs ago, the amount the police and fire depts receive is so miniscule that I consider it a scam.  Someone else is making most of the money.

I donated money 8 years ago to the Fraternal Order of Police.  Then received phone calls asking for money for years after.  Finally got them to stop calling me.  Moved to MAINE 2 years ago, kept cell #, and now getting calls again.  So bummed.  I promise if you give them any money, they will call you for years after to get money again.  Wasn't worth it for me.

www.wafop.com

We get calls from this and like numbers every day. Every year my husband gives money to the state firefighters and they call from a completely different number then this and always in the early spring.

Last night he tried to question these people about it and as soon as he asked it they hung up on him. Red flags are all over these numbers.

360-230-1600
360-547-1900
877-749-7846
253-275-3600
425-437-0640
228-209-8325

List of the numbers recently we've been called by them, sometimes the same number will say they're with different things.

While the WA FOP may be doing some good stuff for WA State police departments, the organizations they use to fund raise are stiffing them. One agency, Community Welfare Services, Inc, gave 16% of the $1.27 million they collected.

You can see on the WA State Charitable Solicitations and Trusts run by the Sec of State. For WAFOP: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/charities/search_detail.aspx?charity_id=26886

For Community Welfare Services, Inc: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/charities/search_detail_cfr.aspx?cfr_id=22124

www.wafop.com  washington memorial from kennewick.  They are totally legit.

I always ask them to send me a letter, then I check em out and decide to donate or not. These guys check out. They sent me a nice sticker for my car.

Fraternal Order of Police out of Kennewick.

Wow memo must have gone out to the boiler room telling these guys to start making fake posts here this morning, because they've been making a LOT of them LOL.

Actually you should assume every call you get from someone asking you to "donate" money is a scam, becuase you'll be right almost all of the time! If it's a good cause, donate to the charity directly.

The clowns that work in this boiler room have been leaving fake posts here in the hopes to increase their profit -- that's right, PROFIT. They make profit by keeping all but a few cents on the dollar, if that, sometimes it's a pure scam and they keep it all. You don't know, so don't take a chance.

Sometimes it's even worse, and they are just phishing for credit card numbers. NEVER donate over the phone by giving out your credit card number. Claiming they collect for some police organization is one of the most effective scams going, don't fall for it.

you are right teri!!  people think the do not call list will save them from all calls!  not true people!  charity calls are for a reason!  The fraternal order of police are doing a good cause, donate if you'd like or not.

Charities hire Call Centers to make the calls for them which is why you get calls for different charities from the same phone number.  IT IS NOT A SCAM!

I just want to reiterate CHARITIES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE DO NOT CALL LIST, NOR ARE POLLING AND/OR ELECTION CALLS OR BUSINESSES WHO ARE CONNECTED TO A BUSINESS YOU DO BUSINESS WITH SUCH AS A COMPANY WHO IS SELLING INSURANCE ON YOUR CREDIT CARD!!  

Do you read this stuff when you sign up?  Sorry for the caps/yelling, but no matter how many times people post this information others don't get it!

I forgot to say, Charities, election calls and any agency connected to someone you do business with, ie. credit card agency trying to sell you insurance on your card etc. are not restricted by the Do Not Call list!!  They are free to call anyone.

Well I received the call today. It is Washington State Fraternal Order of Police.  I saw the list of names and I recognize the Kennewick, Pasco and Vancouver police names.  I dispatched for Kennewick PD from 89-96 and know Simington, Banner and Roske from Pasco and the officer from Vancouver where I now live. It is a legitimate agency, I don't know how much of the money actually goes to the agency, but they are not a scam!

its the FOP. Charity for the police and members of their family.  look them up... www.wafop.com  legit

when you all see on the ID its FOP or Memorial Foundation...its correct!!!  Its the Fraternal Order of Police asking for donations for families within the police.  For officers who been killed on duty etc.  And they use a computer to respond to you so every call is handled the same way.  Be patient and not so rude....answer and just say you can or can not donate at this time and they will stop calling.  It doesn't hurt to answer a 5 min call!

we just got a call at 8:55pm, from 425-437-0640. the man on the other end says, youre not in trouble with the police; but how important is law enforcement to you? and then says he will call back in a couple of month's. this is a very puzzeling call! he did not ask for money? why is he calling with this informatoin? he sounds nervous! and hangs up.

not a scam...charity for the police.

It is the Fraternal order of police. They are legit