Fire departments in North Carolina and New York are warning community members about T-shirt scams.
The Rockingham Fire Department in Rockingham, North Carolina, said scammers are selling T-shirts or asking for donations to the department via text message, according to the Richmond Observer.
“If you get any kind of information in a text or email about the Rockingham Fire Department selling T-shirts or asking for any kind of donations this is a SCAM!!” the department wrote in a Facebook post. “Please do not respond to the text or email.”
The scam texts even got to the mayor of Rockingham, who posted on social media to warn people as well. The number listed on the scam message had an area code assigned to Oregon, obviously quite the distance from North Carolina.
The Richmond Observer also reported that the Pine City, New York, fire department warned of a similar scam earlier in August.
This particular sort of scam now seems to be relatively common for fire departments and other first responders. In December, fire and EMS departments in Connecticut, New York and Wisconsin reported fraudulent messages advertising T-shirt sales.
In these instances, they use a trusted community entity and appeal to people who might want to help finance their efforts.
