Columbus police warn of law-enforcement charity scam

Columbus police are warning about a purported charity that claims to be affiliated with local law enforcement.

Police were contacted Tuesday morning by a resident who received a call from a group calling itself the Police and State Troopers Foundation that was soliciting donations. But police say that an Internet search revealed the group does not exist.

Police say that you should not make donations to people you don’t know who are asking for unsolicited donations over the phone. That is regardless of who they say they are with and even if they claim to be raising money for law enforcement.

Officers say that if a business or community member is interested in making a donation to a police department program, such as DARE, they can contact the police department directly.