MERRIMAC — Chief Larry Fisher and the Merrimac Fire Department remind residents to take great caution when receiving phone calls or emails soliciting monetary donations.
A resident informed the Merrimac Fire Department recently that they had received a call from an organization asking for donations to support the department. The department t has not hired an outside group to solicit donations, nor has this organization supported or assisted the department in the past, according to Fisher.
In response, Fisher said he is attempting to contact the organization to resolve the issue.
The department urges all residents to be very careful about any monetary transactions over the telephone or online without complete assurance that they are conducting legitimate transactions for goods or services. Residents who receive requests for donations should verify that the request is legitimate by contacting the Merrimac Fire Department, either by phone or in person, before sending any money.
The department also offers the following tips:
•Do not give out your credit card information to someone calling over the phone.
•Do not give in to the pressure to make a decision immediately.
•If in doubt, do not give out your information. Report anyone claiming to be a government worker to local police.
•Monitor incoming calls. Do not pick up unknown numbers or random calls. If a call is important, the caller will leave a message.
•If you do pick up and learn it is a scam call, do not engage. Just hang up.