Thieves take advantage of troop support
I got this from our local Marine Corps League. Please spread the word far and wide.
From the Office of the Director of Public Relations
Post Office Box 2351, Indianapolis, IN 46206-2351
ATTENTION ---EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
Notify your members that there is a FAKE so-called Veterans Organization operating out of Beech Grove, Indiana that has a primary goal of soliciting money through telephone calls with the spiel they're giving telephone cards to our military men and women.
This outfit calls itself INDIANA VETERANS RELIEF FUND
They are using a storefront address at 157 Bethel -
Suite B, Beech Grove, IN 46107. Telephone (317) 783-1974.
Indiana Veterans Relief Fund is operating under a blanket organization called Common Ground Charities, Inc. A Michael Q. Risley, Jr. is listed as Director of Fund Raising and a Tanya Risley is shown to be the Office Manager.
I visited the location and talked with Ms. Risley. The rented office space is essentially a telephone "Boiler Room." I viewed about a half-dozen people sitting at small work areas facing three walls wearing headphones and mikes making telephone calls. The front office room and rear telephone room are unkempt and dirty with no trappings of a veterans' organization. No Flags, no wall pictures, no sign of any patriotism. I confronted Ms. Risley with some pointed questions. "How many telephone calling cards have been issued to American troops?" (She said they gave some to departing troops at Camp Atterbury but couldn't tell me when or how many.) "How much money has been solicited since this operating began last year?" (She told me the figures have not been compiled and are not available.)
Ms. Risley informed me they are legal. I told her there is a difference of being legal on paper and morally correct in practice! (I am convinced this outfit is only interested in lining their own pockets with cash from proud Americans whom think they're helping our military and our men and woman in uniform.)
The Indiana Consumer Protection section of the Attorney Generals Office appears to be not interested in this situation after talking with them at length. IF WE CAN'T SHUT THIS OUTFIT DOWN WE CAN AT LEAST GET THE WORD OUT:
VETERANS' & CONSUMER'S BEWARE!
Donald F. Myers, USMC Retired
Department of Indiana, Marine Corps League
Director of Public Relations
Contact point Indianapolis Marine Corps League Office:
(317) 546 7228 (or write Marine Corps League, POB 2351, Indianapolis, IN 46206-2351 (Attn: Director of PR D. F. Myers)
From the Office of the Director of Public Relations
Post Office Box 2351, Indianapolis, IN 46206-2351
ATTENTION ---EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
Notify your members that there is a FAKE so-called Veterans Organization operating out of Beech Grove, Indiana that has a primary goal of soliciting money through telephone calls with the spiel they're giving telephone cards to our military men and women.
This outfit calls itself INDIANA VETERANS RELIEF FUND
They are using a storefront address at 157 Bethel -
Suite B, Beech Grove, IN 46107. Telephone (317) 783-1974.
Indiana Veterans Relief Fund is operating under a blanket organization called Common Ground Charities, Inc. A Michael Q. Risley, Jr. is listed as Director of Fund Raising and a Tanya Risley is shown to be the Office Manager.
I visited the location and talked with Ms. Risley. The rented office space is essentially a telephone "Boiler Room." I viewed about a half-dozen people sitting at small work areas facing three walls wearing headphones and mikes making telephone calls. The front office room and rear telephone room are unkempt and dirty with no trappings of a veterans' organization. No Flags, no wall pictures, no sign of any patriotism. I confronted Ms. Risley with some pointed questions. "How many telephone calling cards have been issued to American troops?" (She said they gave some to departing troops at Camp Atterbury but couldn't tell me when or how many.) "How much money has been solicited since this operating began last year?" (She told me the figures have not been compiled and are not available.)
Ms. Risley informed me they are legal. I told her there is a difference of being legal on paper and morally correct in practice! (I am convinced this outfit is only interested in lining their own pockets with cash from proud Americans whom think they're helping our military and our men and woman in uniform.)
The Indiana Consumer Protection section of the Attorney Generals Office appears to be not interested in this situation after talking with them at length. IF WE CAN'T SHUT THIS OUTFIT DOWN WE CAN AT LEAST GET THE WORD OUT:
VETERANS' & CONSUMER'S BEWARE!
Donald F. Myers, USMC Retired
Department of Indiana, Marine Corps League
Director of Public Relations
Contact point Indianapolis Marine Corps League Office:
(317) 546 7228 (or write Marine Corps League, POB 2351, Indianapolis, IN 46206-2351 (Attn: Director of PR D. F. Myers)
0
-
Henry,Thanks for the Heads Up.[:(] 0 -
Someone should just fire-bomb that store. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
Someone should just fire-bomb that store.
[:0][:0]
+1
JEff0 -
Some troll at another forum where I posted this information is threatening to sue me and that forum.
They pulled the thread.
I don't think the person making the threats is actually connected with the theives, I think it's just someone trolling.0 -
I've read this previously.
D.0 -
This surfaced in early Feb. I think if you check with the AG you will find they are licensed to do solitations in Indiana and are required to report to the AG's office. Is it a bolier room operation ? Most are. Does every penny go to the chairty it represents ? I don't think so and nor does most, if not all, charitable solitations go 100% to the charity. I think there is more to the story than the orginal story implies. I don't have a dog in this fight but only one person has said (in his opinion) it is not legit. The National/State American Leigon and the State VFW Headquarters are in Indy. One would think they have checked it out. Also the AG with sufficent complaints would be required to check into it. IMHO 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
6 comments