Sheriff's department says telephone fundraiser is scam

COLUMBIA — A phone call purporting to be part of a Boone County Sheriff's Department fundraiser for charity is a scam, the department said Monday.

One target of the scam contacted the sheriff's department Monday and said a telephone solicitor claimed to be collecting money for the Boone County Sheriff's Department Christmastime program for shopping with needy children. When the target questioned the scheme, the solicitor hung up, the department said in a release.

The Boone County Sheriff's Department is not conducting any fundraiser telephone solicitations of any kind, the release stated.

The scam mimics legitimate charitable programs sponsored by other law enforcement organizations. The Missouri Deputy Sheriff's Association conducts a program similar to the one mentioned in the scam called "Shop with a Deputy." The sheriff's association does use telephone solicitations, but the caller will provide full disclosure of their identity and will provide a name and contact number for the citizen to contact for verification or complaint.

The department said residents should be cautious when dealing with telephone solicitors and never provide personal or bank account information.