San Andreas, Ca — When emergencies occur, it can unfortunately bring out scam artists.
Some in the Mother Lode have recently received calls from solicitors claiming to be with CAL Fire trying to raise money. Batallian Chief Dennis Townsend says that no such fundraiser exists.
?CAL Fire does not solicit money over the phone for any reason,? says Townsend. ?Generally, it has been our experience that if you get a call like this it usually comes after a major event that rouses public interest and sympathy. These types of predators want to capitalize, and get credit card numbers or some other type of information.?
Townsend says that if you feel you are a victim of a scam you should contact law enforcement. If you would like to donate to a cause that you believe is legit, you should always contact the agency directly to make sure that it is not a hoax.
Written by BJ Hansen
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 1:38 pm