My spouse received a call from Disabled Veterans Services asking if he would donate to the cause. Having a disabled veteran son-in-law, naturally, he said, of course. Being aware that some charities are not what they make out to be, he suggested that the caller send him information about he "Services" and when we received it, we looked up the information online.
We googled "Disabled Veterans Services" and being very careful to get the right organization, as there are several non-profits that use similar words for their organization, and it was very interesting what we found out! Do NOT DONATE TO THIS ORGANIZATION. Look up www.charitynavigator.org as well as www.backhomenews21.com/article/questionable-charities. When you google "Disabled Veterans Services" open the results that start with "Scoundrels, Thieves and Rip-off Artists". It is a news report from Back home News 21 that shows thorough investigation into this particular organization.
While every disabled veteran deserves your full support and donations, please research and find the organizations that do work and are legitimate. I had to give a rating, so I entered the lowest possible rating, but in reality, I give a MINUS 5 STARS to this organization.
I just received a call from this organization from a southern gentleman named, "Brian." I told him that I would be more than willing to support disabled veterans, but I wanted to look up their information online first as I was already scammed by the Firefighter's Charitable Foundation. Now, in comparison, at least some of the funds donated to the Firefighter's Charitable Foundation actually do go to help victims of fires and there is a working number, but much of their donated funds are used for more fundraising and to line the pockets of the past and possibly present leaders of the organization. I found this in information at America's Worst Charities: Firefighters Charitable Foundation-www.tampabay.com
However, the Disabled Veteran's Services Inc, does not appear to be legit at all. When I told "Brian" that I was doing a quick Google search on the "organization" that he said that he was calling from, he seemed to get flustered and started repeating his prepared monologue. BEWARE this is a charity for donations to Disabled Vets that is NOT LEGIT THAT HAS A VERY SIMILAR NAME TO ONE THAT IS! DO NOT BE SCAMMED! I am happy that I decided to do the research while he was on the phone, but I am wondering how much communication these companies have with one another as mere moments after hanging up from "Brian" at Disabled Veterans Services, I received a call saying that my husband is being given $9,000 from a government grant. When I asked, the lady to verify where she was calling from, she assumed that I was my husband whose name is, "Steve", so that's not even a non-specific gender name! When I said that I was not going to send any money in order to receive money, our phone connection "mysteriously" got disconnected!
I feel that it is best to follow the mantra that my mother raised me on which is, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." I am also no longer going to accept ANY phone calls for donations unless it is a local organization with which I am already a member and can see an obvious benefit to our community through my charitable donations.
I just received a cold call from this "organization" and while the caller was very polite and professional sounding, I know that there are MANY vary shady and/or downright dishonest "Veterans" charities in which most of the $$$ is paid out to the fundraisers, or in the much publicized case of the Wounded Warrior Project, lavish salaries to the top management officials. I appreciate everyone submitting their reviews so that I could verify my suspicions of this being just another scamming organizations. My suggestion is that if you really want to help Veterans, volunteer at your local VA facilities or VFW. I'm sure either of those can use the help and point the direction to the best true Veteran's charity organizations.
Phone Number 702-786-0622 just called our upstate PA, unlisted phone number, and knew us by name. Identified their organization as a Disabled Vets Organization. Scam.
Do NOT donate to this organization. It is a FAKE. You cannot get a hold of them. Their contact # from their web page goes to a messaging service, which then goes to another messaging service (RHQ they said, but could not find them anywhere online).
There is NO tax id information for them anywhere and when you donate, you do not receive a statement which is required from non-profits.
I received a call a few minutes ago from an organization calling themselves Disabled Veterans Services. Never heard of them and I am fairly active with both retired and active military. Being a disabled vet this peaked my interest. I questioned the gentleman what the ratios were and gladly went forth and claimed what they do for the vets. I asked him what parent company he worked for and he would not answer the question. He stated they have a 85/15 ratio, i.e. 85% going to veterans services. With this, I immediately assumed this was another scam. probably by Dytel.
I told him he was full of bull---- , he made me sick to my stomach and that he should be ashamed of himself for what he is doing. This is pure and simple scamming people using the need that our veterans have. These SOBs should get castrated.
Based on their reported earnings and expenditures, in 2011 this organization spent 61% of its revenue on "professional fundraising services" alone, for a total of $3,717,894. That's not a great ratio. Does not constitute proof of fraud, but your money could be better spent.
The source is below:
http://www.faqs.org/tax-exempt/TN/Disabled-Veterans-Services-Inc.html
"Disabled Veterans Services, Inc."
Envelope address is a UPS Store, Google this zip code "53211-2042"
According to one report, 35% of funds collected goes to vets, half goes to fund raising (telemarketing scam?)
HQ is in Pompano Beach, FL. Found more than four other addresses for this organization. Something is very fishy about this. You can find many better vets organizations.
See http://www.military-money-matters.com/questions-about-veterans-charities.html
And especially
http://www.military-money-matters.com/veterans-charities.html
Received a phone solicitation from this group, the woman claimed that she was Laura Lipinsky( sure it is Laura) and that she had talked with my mother earlier. She also claimed that my mother had pledged $15.00 and Laura wondered where it was. I told Laura, as my mother's Power of Attorney, we will not be giving to her group. She insisted that Joan gave many times in the last year which was total "trash". You see my Mom has Alzheimer's Disease, & I now handle all my elderly Mom's finances. I asked "Laura" to put us on her "do not call list" and that seemed to be a problem for her. She was very pushy about my reason to request this and it really started to irritate me. Because my Mom has Alzheimer's Disease and was given money to every group out there, it has been an up hill battle getting these "charities" to stop pestering us via the phone calls & the mail.
Finally in totally exasperating, I went outside & at the "top of my lungs"screamed at her in colorful language and hung up. All I can say is that felt good, even though I know they will still be pestering us!
Like others in the reviews, I had not made a contribution to this organization. Although the phone call was friendly, I still had my reservations. When I received the bill, I felt unease, especially since they spelled our name wrong, so I started an investigation. I was able to find the finicial report of 2010 on New Jersey records. The contributions were 49.6 % to fund raising, 47.5% to services, and 2.8% to management and general expenses. We did not like the percentages and will not be contributing to the organization. We sent the bill and decal back with a letter of explanation and request to be removed from any further contacts.
Like other reviewers, I received a cold call from them asking that I renew last year's pledge (hmmmm...... I don't recall any such donation). I waited to receive the invioce in the mail which asked that I fulfill my promised pledge of $35, and they had a number to call for further inquiries. When I called the number however, I was prompted to leave a message for someone called Patty Baynet(?), and then when I attempted to do so, I was SHOCKED (not) to hear that her mailbox is full! There's obviously something very fishy going on here, so they won't be seeing a penny from me! Now, if I only knew whom to report them to for further investigation...
Got a "statement" from them thanking Peggy for making a $25 pledge when they called her May 12, 2012, and asking her to remit payment by May 24. Hmmmmm - Peggy has been dead since 2008, so I don't think she pledged anything in 2012. I have a family member who didn't pledge but continues to get "past due" notices that her pledge has not been paid. DISHONEST, UNETHICAL SCAM! This so-called charity should have no stars at all on the rating, but I clicked on one because I couldn't post without it.
I got a phone call from them thanking me for my donation of last year (which I knew I had not made) and asked me to donate again this year. Told them I don't donate over the phone but they could send me the information and I would check them out on the internet and if they were a good charity I would donate at least $10. Everything I have found about them is negative and I will not be making any donation to them.
Got a cold call too and was asked to send in my check right away (after I demurred from using my credit card). Decided to look up this organization after getting my pledge 'bill' in the mail. Glad I did. I really want to help veteran's, not organizations making money off of them. Did not donate the $50 I said I would.
My experience is the same as the previous two reviewers, I just wanted to add my voice to the growing chorus. They will not be receiving a donation from me either.
As with the previous reviewer, I was solicited by this charity via a cold call and asked to make a pledge. I do not make decisions on charitable giving over the phone, so they said they'd put me down for the minimum and then send me information by mail. Upon receipt of the pledge card, I was skeptical because of the shoddiness of the whole thing. After searching their Web site (very unprofessional) and GuideStar (with limited data and none since 2008), I'm no more confident in this group. It may not be a scam, but they certainly have not convinced me that the organization delivers value (however great the cause). Needless to say, I will not be returning a donation.
This charity approached me for a donation through an unsolicited phone call from their paid professional fundraiser, Courtesy Call Inc., in April 2011. After receiving the pledge card they mailed me, I was concerned enough by the vagueness of the 'services' they claim to provide to disabled veterans, and by the fact that their mailing address for donations is in a different state from where their office address is, that I did some detective work. Turns out that this charity is not listed at all by the Better Business Bureau Charity site (gift.org), nor is it mentioned by any watchdog site, e.g. charitynavigator.org. The last mention of this charity on Guidestar is dated 2008, with their address in TN, with not much detail, while the address on their corporate website is in FL. I could find no testimonials from veterans themselves or any business that had used their employment services for disabled veterans. Since it is way too difficult to get any information about the workings of this charity, and I highly value transparency from charities, I will not be sending a donation.
Review from Guidestar