Fire Officials Move to Douse Flimflam Phone Solicitors

Anaheim Fire Department officials are burning up over a rash of phony telephone solicitors trying to pass themselves off as members of a group calling itself the Anaheim Fire Department Burn Assn.

Fire officials have received about seven complaints in the last week from angry residents who say they have been harassed by callers trying to solicit donations for the apparently fictitious group.

“Whoever these people are, they definitely do not have any affiliation with the Fire Department,” Anaheim Fire Chief Jeff Bowman said. “They don’t leave names, they don’t leave phone numbers, they just pick up the check in person and don’t even give receipts.”

Bowman said residents told him that when they either refused to give donations or gave only small amounts, the solicitors became verbally abusive and often cursed at them.

Bowman said these phony calls have happened before, but officials have never been able to catch those responsible.

“I’m tired of people getting ripped off, and I’m tired of these people using our name for it,” he said. “The Anaheim Fire Department and the Anaheim Fire Assn. do not participate in this type of operation.”

Residents receiving these phone calls should report them to Detective Dewayne Briggs of the Anaheim police fraud detail, (714) 999-1957.