MERRIMAC — Chief Eric Shears reports that the Merrimac Police Department is currently investigating a fundraising scam.
On Friday, Oct. 13, Merrimac Police and the Merrimac Police Association were made aware that a company called “Citizens Behind the Badge” is currently attempting to solicit money in the form of a fundraiser.
Community members reported receiving mailings from this company requesting money in the form of cash or checks.
Currently, Merrimac Police and the Merrimac Police Association are not conducting fundraising events via mail.
The only authorized fundraising event that is being conducted by the Merrimac Police and Merrimac Police Association is the sale of authorized department specialty patches which has been posted on the Department’s Official Facebook page. The department and the association have not contracted any third-party organization to assist in any such activities.
Residents and community members who have received mailings from the organization “Citizens Behind the Badge” should not send checks, money orders, or cash, and the mailings should be discarded immediately.
The Merrimac Police Department would like to share the following tips about scams from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC):
- Only donate to organizations you know and trust.
- Check social media posts and official websites to make sure they are currently holding a fundraiser.
- Do not give your personal or financial information in response to a request that you did not expect.
- Know how scammers tell you to pay. Never pay someone who insists that you can only pay with cryptocurrency, a wire transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram, a payment app, or a gift card. Never deposit a check and send money back to someone.
- Stop and talk to someone you trust. Before you do anything else, tell someone — a friend, a family member, a neighbor — what happened. Talking about it could help you realize it’s a scam.
- If you were scammed or think you saw a scam, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
If you have any further questions or concerns regarding any current donations to that organization, please contact Merrimac Police Detective Stephen Beaulieu at
978-346-8321 or sbeaulieu@merrimacpolice.org.
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