Salem Police Warn Residents Of Department Fundraising Scam

SALEM, MA — Salem police are warning residents of a recurring scam where groups purporting to be raising money on behalf of the department solicit donations.

Salem police said they routinely receive reports from residents of this scam, remind them that the department does not solicit funds through the phone, mail or email and that "any individual, group or organization claiming to be raising funds on behalf of the department is a scam."

"We encourage residents to ignore these mailings and simply hang up if you receive such a solicitation call," police said. "If you are unfamiliar with an organization soliciting funds, you should research them before parting with your money. "

Police shared the Charity Navigator online tool as a quick way to see if any fundraising group that contacts you is legitimate.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)