Letter, donation to scammers caught just before being mailed

Thomas Clayton of Van Buren Township received a letter from the United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association in Virginia. It said it represents Van Buren Township, MI and asked for a donation for body armor vests.
Clayton, a senior citizen who enthusiastically supports police officers, wrote a check for $25 and placed in the return envelope, along with a Thank You card for a police officer that he signed. The card said: “May God protect you from harm.”
He also filled out and tucked into the envelope a survey on whether he supports police and whether officers in small communities should have to buy their own safety vests.
Before he mailed the envelope, he found out from a police officer friend that this is a scam and Van Buren Police don’t get money or anything else from this group.
If you search the group’s name on the internet, it has a zero-star rating for being a place you can give to with confidence. Most of its income goes to fundraising.
Another place on the internet said this group is among the top five of the 50 worst charities in America.
Clayton destroyed his check and brought the rest of the information to the Independent for us to share with our readers.
— Rosemary K. Otzman, editor