”
A group of kids came to my door last night selling magazines for
their soccer team. They also claimed that the magazines were going
to be sent to our troops overseas. After falling for their lies, I
found out it was all a fraud. The soccer team does not exist. After
I interrogated another kid who showed up at my doorstep 30 minutes
later, he got very nervous after I started asking him questions
about his team and coach. His story was similar but yet different.
I checked with my bank trying to stop the check, and they had
already deposited for payment early in the morning after (the
children) claimed it would not be deposited for two weeks. Be
careful out there!
”
“A group of kids came to my door last night selling magazines for their soccer team. They also claimed that the magazines were going to be sent to our troops overseas. After falling for their lies, I found out it was all a fraud. The soccer team does not exist. After I interrogated another kid who showed up at my doorstep 30 minutes later, he got very nervous after I started asking him questions about his team and coach. His story was similar but yet different. I checked with my bank trying to stop the check, and they had already deposited for payment early in the morning after (the children) claimed it would not be deposited for two weeks. Be careful out there!”
Dear Offsides,
Thanks for the heads-up about the potential scam, and we hope you are able to recover your money.
The city hasn’t had any reported cases recently of people being scammed, said Police Sgt. Jim Gillio. But that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t be cautious.
“Anyone who goes door to door is required to file a solicitor’s license with the city,” he said. “If they don’t, they are in violation of the municipal code.”
If someone wants to verify that a permit has been issued, he or she can call the business finance department at 846-0420, Gillio said.
Orchard Valley Youth Soccer, the major soccer organization in Gilroy and Morgan Hill, is not holding any such fundraisers, said Frank Gargiulo, the league’s recreation coordinator.
“(The league) does not do any fundraising as a league-sponsored event,” he said. “Several years ago, we incorporated this into our fee structure. We do however have many competitive teams that raise funds for their teams individually. But this is usually done by company sponsorship.”
While there are many worthwhile charities out there, it never hurts to be cautious about who you trust with your money. It doesn’t hurt to ask questions. If the person is indeed raising money for a team, that person should have no trouble answering questions and providing you with a contact number for you to call for more information.
We’re always interesting in helping people avoid being conned. If you know of a scam going around or suspect a scam, please give the Red Phone a call.
Caution with the tracks
“How big a fire hazard is all the debris behind the furniture store at Monterey and 10th streets. All the stuff lined up by the railroad tracks looks pretty scary to me.”
Dear Railroad Crossed,
The debris by the railroad tracks have been a problem for awhile, and the store will be cited by code enforcement, said Gilroy Fire Marshal Jackie Bretschneider.
“Material behind the store and blocking of the fire lane behind has been an ongoing problem with this business,” she said.
So, good caller, hope that helps you rest assured the railroad tracks won’t burn down.
Nothing compared to MH
“I noticed your recent Web poll about signs directing people around town. $5,500 per sign seems like a lot, but I would like to know how much Morgan Hill spent on their signs and how many they put up?”
Dear Don’t Sign Me Up,
Morgan Hill recently approved spending $170,000 for the fabrication and installation of 65 directional and parking signs, or about $2,615 each.
The Gilroy Visitors Bureau wants $500,000 to realize a network of 91 directional and informational signs in order to boost commerce and help create a recognizable image for Gilroy.
The city has not decided how much money it might contribute to such a system, though it has already paid for a revamped logo and the directional system’s blueprints. The Visitors Bureau said it will likely have to get some of the money needed from private donors.
