A Veteran's Day call to stop scam "charities" that prey on people by pretending to be supporting vets

Hat tip to Nonprofit Quarterly

The AARP recent publicized eight typical veterans scams known to target seniors. Among the examples are “Bogus charities that claim to benefit veterans … targeting patriotic older donors.” The AARP recommended the usual, that donors check with the Better Business Bureau, the Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, and GuideStar to verify the charities seeking their donations.

The striking dimension of the story of troubled and troubling veterans charities is that some of these charities go on and on and on. The Chicago Tribune reported at the end of August about a charity called Viet Now based in Rockford, Illinois. Most of the money donated to Viet Now last year, about 85 percent, went to telephone solicitors. Although some $1.4 million was raised in the name of Viet Now in 2014, it spent little on its “programs,” such as they were, including scholarships to the children of veterans to a grand total of $3,985. Since 2003, 90 percent of the $24 million raised by Viet Now has gone to telemarketers.