The Lower Greenville Neighborhood Association sent out this scam alert today:
“A neighbor on Monticello called this morning to report a scam she fell victim to yesterday. A man was going door to door selling magazines. He gave the name of a legitimate company and collected a check for a purchase. The next day, the neighbor had second thoughts and contacted the company where she was told that they do not solicit in our area and the man was not legitimate. She stopped her check, but he now has her personal information and account numbers.
“The man was carrying a clipboard and dressed in khakis like any typical door to door salesperson. He was using the name Jesse Martinez. The most distinguishing feature is a tattoo of a cross on his right cheek just under the eye. If this guy knocks on your door, please call 911 right away.
“As a general practice, never ever give money, checks or especially credit card info to someone who randomly knocks on your door. If they are legitimate, you would be able to mail in a check. I usually tell people that if they aren’t dressed in a Girl Scout uniform and handing you a box of cookies, the only thing they should get is a polite “No, thank you.” Our ENP officer has repeatedly warned us that the reason we get so many solicitors in our neighborhood is because we give them money. While there are many legitimate organizations that canvass door to door, most are happy to provide a donation form which you can send in later. If they want cash or personal information on the spot and do not allow you to follow up later, chances are they are not legitimate.”
