CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Phone scammers are fraudulently collecting money for a program benefiting underprivileged children at Christmas time, a state Fraternal Order of Police official said.

Police have received multiple reports of someone asking for money in the Fraternal Order of Police's name for the Shop-With-A-Cop fundraiser. Every year local police agencies collect money to give underprivileged children chances to buy Christmas gifts for their loved ones.

Any phone calls requesting money is a fraud because the FOP only raises and collects donations by mail for that program, said Chris Young, president of the FOP's Fayette County Memorial Lodge. Those mail requests will be sent out in the coming weeks, he said.

Young said the Black Diamond Lodge in Raleigh County is collecting money by telephone, but it's not for the Shop-With-A-Cop fundraiser.  He asked anyone who gets a fraudulent call to report it to police.