Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler has issued a warning to local residents and businesses regarding telephone solicitations.
Over the past week, the Sheriff’s Office has received complaints about suspected phone scams and aggressive callers. The solicitations, addressed by the Sheriff’s Office over the past year, have resurfaced.
“The Sheriff’s Office does not solicit monies from public citizens for any means, especially by telephone,” Kemler said in a statement. Occasionally, police fraternal organizations solicit funds for various causes; however, these fundraisers are not sanctioned by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office.
The telephone calls seem to stem from Alliance Fundraising LLC, a for-profit “calling tank” located in greater Princeton area, hired by the sheriff’s Superior Officers Association of the Fraternal Order of Police.
“Although the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office is not involved in these solicitation campaigns, I do want to apologize for any inconvenience, annoyance and alarm these calls may have caused,” Kemler said. “We are not encouraging or discouraging anyone from contributing to worthwhile charities, but I do want to make it clear these fundraisers are not connected with the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office in any way.”
Last year, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office contacted the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs- Charitable Registration section to provide complaint information. Unfortunately, it is difficult to crack down on telephone solicitors in New Jersey.
If a local resident or business suspects a particular telephone call may be a scam, simply hang up. Anyone who receives a solicitation call and is uncertain as to the validity of the fundraiser is encouraged to contact the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs-Charitable Registration Hotline at (973) 504-6215 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
