Donation scam in Benton
By LEWIS DELAVAN News editor

Residents shouldn't give money to people going door-todoor and claiming to be collecting money for the Benton Fire Department, Chief Ben Blankenship said.

Instead, people should report the activity to the Benton Police Department, he said.

Blankenship said an elderly Hazel Street resident was scammed out of an undisclosed amount of money from a woman claiming to be taking donations for the fire department.

"I found this out when the elderly woman was talking to another person about the Benton Fire Department," Blankenship said. The person who sought the money, a white woman, knocked on the resident's door and asked if she was pleased with the Benton Fire Department. The victim said she is pleased, and the visitor asked if she would like to make a donation to the department.

Blankenship said the Benton Fire Department never solicits door to door.

The only fundraising is done indirectly through the National Safety Council, which solicits money from area businesses to publish a safety comic book for area school children, he said.

"People sometimes prey on the elderly, and that really irks me," Blankenship said. "This elderly woman just wanted to help and thought she was helping the Benton Fire Department."

After the woman discovered the fire department doesn't solicit door-to-door donations, she called Blankenship, and the police department was then notified.

Police Chief Gary Sipes said officers are investigating and patrolling the area where the woman lives.

Anyone with information on the woman who took the money, may call Benton police at 776- 5948 or 315-TIPS.