Police: Three Juveniles Solicited Donations for Fake Basketball Team

Two teenagers and a 12-year-old have found themselves in hot water after police say they went to a Dunwoody shopping center and asked for donations for a basketball team that did not exist.

WSB-TV says the trio went to the Perimeter Place shopping center on New Year’s Day with flyers which said they were raising money for the “Atlanta Panthers A&U” basketball team. According to the flyer, the Panthers needed money for new uniforms and equipment for the playoffs. Any money raised past their goal would go to the Panthers’ end of year trip to Orlando, said the flyer.

Unfortunately for the generous folks who gave money to the youngsters, the Panthers don’t exist. The e-mail address listed for the “team mom” doesn’t exist, either. The whole story was dreamed up by the juveniles as a cover to get money from sympathetic shoppers, police said.

Dunwoody police told WSB-TV that scams like this are reported to the department at least once a month, with MARTA providing young hucksters with easy access to the more affluent Dunwoody community. Police said the juveniles take advantage of the lunchtime rush at businesses and restaurants to try to bilk as much cash as possible from their marks. Some of the con men have even been known to get violent, police told WSB-TV.

The station spoke with shoppers who said they will be less willing to offer money to people seeking donations for charitable causes because of the uncertainty of giving cash to someone who may just be a con artist.

If you suspect that someone asking you for donations is simply out to get your money, police ask that you call 911 immediately.