CARIBOU, Maine – Officials from Caribou Fire & Ambulance are warning residents not to fall for a phone scam asking for donations to the department.
On Tuesday, the department received a call from a concerned resident. The resident had received a call from someone asking for donations so the department could purchase firefighting gear and equipment.
Luckily, that resident realized quickly that the caller was part of a scam, said Caribou firefighter and paramedic Scott Michaud.
“We never call people by phone or ask for donations like that,” Michaud said.
Instead, volunteer firefighters in Caribou are in charge of all the department’s fundraisers and advertise through social media and flyers at local businesses, not through phone calls, Michaud said.
Caribou’s volunteer fire department works with but is separate from the full-time Caribou Fire & Ambulance, which is funded through the city’s budget.
Michaud said that residents who receive scam calls should never give the caller their bank account and credit card numbers or other personal information. So far no other residents have complained of the scam, but that might not stop the caller from trying.
“This [type of scam] happens occasionally throughout the year,” Michaud said. “We always tell people to call us or the police department if they’re unsure if it’s a scam.”
