Bogus Telephone Solicitors Active

Rogue telephone solicitors are misrepresenting themselves as members of the local firefighters association and asking for donations from Ventura County residents, officials said.

The real Ventura County Professional Firefighters’ Assn. wants it known that it does not do telephone soliciting.

“It’s safe to say if you get a call asking for money to support the local firefighters that it’s a scam,” said Capt. Ken Maffei, president of the association.

The phony callers have asked residents to slip money under their front doormats, saying they will come by later and pick it up, Maffei said. If the residents start asking questions, the callers tend to become belligerent and have even resorted to making threats before hanging up, he said.

Although the Sheriff’s Department has been notified about the scam, there is little investigators can do unless they make contact with the callers, Maffei said. Meanwhile, he is advising that residents ignore the calls.

The local association’s biggest fund-raiser is its Firefighters’ Ball in November, which is meant to raise money for burn victims.