Local Boys and Girls Club warns of possible donation scam
A local Boys and Girls Club branch is warning local businesses about a possible scam, involving kids soliciting donations.
“A young kid came in, and she asked for donations for the Boys and Girls Club and we gave her a 150 dollar donation,” Paul Welth, the manager at Coachella Valley Jewelry and Loans, said.
Welth is always willing to help the community.
“I asked how much the summer camp was. She said $1200. I gave her $150,” he said.
But soliciting donations directly is not something done by the Boys and Girls Club of Cathedral City.
CEO Scott Robinson says during the past week he’s gotten calls from several businesses asking about the donations.
“They’ve been targeting the communities of La Quinta, Bermuda Dunes, Palm Desert.,” he said.
Robinson says a different kid would solicit donations and have official pamphlets and forms from the organization, and show a school ID of a freshman at desert hot springs high school, saying the money is being raised for them to attend the club for the summer and need it in cash. Club staff were unable to trace the girl in the ID in their system.
“We want to protect the public and businesses from this scam,” Robinson said.
Robinson says the club doesn’t do cash donations and is afraid the children are being exploited by adults.
“We’re in the business of protecting children and so it breaks my heart that this is happening in any way shape or form,” he said.
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“We’d love to invite her to ours and give her that scholarship,” Robinson said.
For Welth he says he’ll be more vigilant in the future.
“It’s good to give donations, but maybe you should do some due diligence and check up on what you’re donating to next time,” he said.
The Boys and Girls Club says the best way to donate is to contact the office directly to coordinate the transfer of funds.
