FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Residents Warned About Phone Scams

Police are warning people to be aware of people who call their homes to solicit money on behalf of the city’s Police Department.

“There’s a big problem with telephone scams,” said police spokesman Sgt. Dann Bean. “We’re trying to warn the residents not to donate any money to organizations.”

Bean said people have been duped into giving $25 to $50 by telephone solicitors.

He said the department has received about a dozen calls from people who have been asked for donations for the “COPS Organization.”

Bean said solicitors use different scams, including one in which they request donations to benefit families of police officers killed in the line of duty. Often, solicitors affiliate themselves with a specific police department to make their organization appear more legitimate.

Bean offered tips to help recognize solicitors who commit telephone fraud:

* Be suspicious of solicitation calls. Phony solicitors tend to be overly friendly on the telephone and are trained to scam people out of money.

* Be inquisitive about who the donation would benefit. Start asking questions such as the solicitor’s name and a number to call them back. If it’s a scam, they will hang up.

* If the solicitor wants to pick up a check right away (so it can be cashed immediately), chances are it’s a scam.

* If in doubt about the call, contact the local chamber of commerce to find out about the organization or the Police Department at (714) 965-4465--before making a donation.