We here in California are not alone dealing with the sleazy folks who dress themselves up as charities and dial for dollars for causes including veterans, firefighters, police and more. Another one of these groups has now hit Minnesota, according to a story in the Minneapolis – St. Paul StarTribune.
See our post in May on the California’s Attorney General’s Office lawsuits against 53 individuals, 17 telemarketers and 12 “charities” who purported to be helping police, firefighters and veterans. The California action is part of the Federal Trade Commission’s Operation False Charity.
The Minnesota group – calling itself Minnesota Disabled Veterans – isn’t a charity and accordingly doesn’t show up on IRS Publication 78′s list of charities. But the group uses a name confusingly similar to that of a known charity: Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota.
The Minnesota group raises its money through telemarketing.