Madison Police issue scam warning

By Aldo Amato

Staff Reporter

MADISON — The Madison Police Department recently notified residents about a potential scam and urged the public to do research before they donate to the Oklahoma tornado relief efforts.

The department received a report that someone claiming to be affiliated with Madison Police is soliciting money for the tornado victims in Oklahoma on May 22.

“Be aware that our agency is not soliciting money regarding tornado victims,” a statement read. “If you are contacted by anyone claiming to represent the Madison Police Department who is soliciting funds for tornado victims, please report it to the law enforcement agency serving your area.”

Lt. Wayne Kamus said it is extremely important that Madison residents know who exactly they are donating to.

“Trust me, there are wonderful people out there who do great things for people in need in these situations,” he said. “But then there are those who take advantage of a tragedy just for profit. Being vigilant and doing a little extra research can go a long way.”

The Madison Police Department as a whole will not be collecting items or donation for the relief efforts though Kamus said officers are more than welcome to collect on their own time.

“We just want everyone to be careful when they donate,” he said. “Soliciting happens to be something we are focusing on right now and the officers have a better understanding of the City’s Sect. 14-7  soliciting ordinance.”

The ordinance states that any door-to-door solicitation must be registered and approved by the City of Madison. Illegal solicitation for profit can be punishable by law and varies case to case.
No arrests have been made in the false solicitation case as of May 23.

For information, Kamus suggested residents look at sites like www.charitynavigator.org or www.charitywatch.org to find reputable charity organization.