The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are warning residents to use caution when opening doors and making purchases from strangers.
The CMPD says they've received complaints of citizens buying school fundraiser foods and never receiving them, even months later. Kids are going door-to-door with adults to help facilitate and make it more realistic.
They post a few tips that include:
- Never pay cash
- Make a check out to the organization, not the person selling
- Call the school/organization doing the fundraiser if it's questionable
- Call 911 if suspicious persons are soliciting in your neighborhood
WBTV chatted with a woman who says she fell prey to the scam in Steele Creeke.
Nicole Augustine purchased around $50 of cookie products from children who were selling in October. After months of not receiving what she ordered, she realized she was scammed.
“It was a full color Otis Spunkmeyer catalog - the whole nine yards. It was legit paperwork, so I didn’t think twice about it,” said Augustine.
In Augustine's case, she paid with a check, which was cashed, so police are looking to find the people responsible through the paper trail.