Gardendale police issue scam alert

Published 1:58 pm Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Gardendale Police Department is putting out an alert for residents, especially senior citizens, to be suspicious of people asking for money.

Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker said the department has seen a marked increase in scams in recent weeks.

“It possibly may have something to do with people’s charitable mood with what’s going on in Haiti,” Walker said. “A number of mainly elderly people are being preyed upon regarding scams.”

Just this week, Walker said, a resident sent almost $1,000 to an alleged charity in Ocala, Fla., only to learn later that the organization does not exist.

The scam artists are using various methods to separate good-hearted citizens from their money, Walker said.

Some scams are being perpetrated by email, some by telephone, and at least one via fax machine.

Read the full article in Saturday’s edition of the North Jefferson News.