Poppy fund campaigner warns about phone scam and other schemes

The Royal Canadian Legion 2019 poppycampaign kicked off on Oct.25,about the same daythehead of theVancouver Poppy Fund got wind of a new scam tryingto cash in, in the lead up to Remembrance Day.

Jim Howard said a regular donor to thelegionreported receiving a phone call from someone posing as a Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Campaign volunteer. The caller asked the woman for a donation and hercredit card number.

"I told her no, that's not the way we solicit," said Howard.

Howard says others outside of Vancouver have received similar callsand counts the scheme as one of many trying to exploit the sincere goodwill of people who want to support Canadian veterans.

Money from the officialpoppy campaign goes into a trust and provides assistance to veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and the RCMP and their families. About $2.5 million is raised every year in B.C.

In Alberta, fake collection stationsconsisting of a tin can emblazoned with a poppy between two maple leafs have been spotted. The phone number listed on the can also appears to be a fake.

"They have no idea who's behind it," said Howard. "It's just a can [to collect money].There's no poppies."

Howard also has concerns about the growing number of poppy types being sold where it's not entirely clear who is benefiting.

The white poppy ismeant to symbolize anti-war and pacifist sentiments and purple poppies commemorate service animals like horses and dogs that died in war. There's even a rainbow poppy that has popped up in the U.K., purporting to support LGBT service men and women.

Unlike the Royal Canadian Legion red poppy which isobtained by donation to the legionnaires and cadets who volunteer,other versions are sold for a set price.

"You can get them online, orsomestores have white poppieson their counter, butif you ask the person behind the counter where the money is going, they just sort of mumble something," said Howard. "Either they don't understand or they don't care."

According to Howard, past problems with grab-and-dash criminals stealingdonation containers from storeshave been greatly reduced thanks to a top secret change.

"We've worked out a security program for it but I'm not going to tell you," he said.

The Royal Canadian Legion secured the copyrightfor thered poppy in 1948, to "ensure that the poppy is not used for commercial or personal gain ..."

Howard says he's pleased withthe number of poppies he's spotted around town this year.