By Megan Miller, Editor
TRUSSVILLE – Trussville residents are warning one another about a potential scammer in the area. The person has been going door to door in the Grayson Valley area soliciting funds for Toys for Tots through the Trussville Church of Christ.
“We don’t do anything like that as a church,” Pastor Aaron Beard said. “We encourage individuals to donate and serve, but we don’t have an organized effort of that type.”
Once Beard saw posts on Facebook questioning the legitimacy of the person’s affiliation with the church, Beard tried to track him down himself.
“It was reported he was a short, white, young male,” Beard said. “I wasn’t able to catch him in the act of doing it, but apparently he hit quite a few people’s homes asking for money.”
Beard said the strange thing to him about the situation was his church’s involvement in it, because the membership is only around 100.
“If he’d gone up to the door saying he was with First Baptist Trussville, no one would have batted an eye because they have such a large membership,” Beard said. “It’s weird that he chose our church’s name.”
Beard said people’s first inclination is usually to assume that people of this type want drug money, but that’s not always the case.
“The sad part is when they do things around this time of year when people are supposed to be giving,” Beard said. “Often people get caught up in the material nature of Christmas. If they’re really hard up and need help, it sure would be nice to help them instead of them feeling like they have to take that avenue.”
Capt. Jeff Bridges with the Trussville Police Department said no formal report has been filed in relation to this incident, but if anyone suspicious comes to your door, to call so the department can send someone to investigate.
15 Comments
Shaun Michael McCormack
Barbara Davis Leirer
Danielle Howard
Vivian Di Bona Hults
Beth Box
Freida Green Box Debbie W Hall
Erin Belz
Cece Craig
Lisa Harlan Belcher
I do not open my door to strangers. PERIOD!
Donna Campbell Bradford
Ken C. Fondren. FYI
Jennifer Knight Mamucud
Loleng Isip
Allyson Nicole Bailes
Hannah Kelly
Brianna Hoover
i was about to tag her too haha
Allyson Nicole Bailes
haha yeah, y’all be carful!
Layne Welch
Erin Jackson Simpson
Daisy Breed
I have a large yellow lab that will love to meet some juicy ankles .
Kristin Best Thrasher
Marie Ash Jones
Marie Ash Jones
That is so crazy!
Barbara Davis Leirer
Oh my! Thanks, I’ll be careful!