(Beaver Dam) In light of a recent Kwik Trip gift card scam, the Beaver Dam Police Department is warning residents about the dangers of purchasing from someone they do not know. The scam involved a woman selling the cards under the guise of a youth baseball fundraiser. K9 Officer Matt Bublitz has this recommendation for those who are not sure when buying from a stranger.
“If you are ever approached by this sort of circumstance and you’re not sure about it ask them to come back,” says Bublitz. “Because if you got somebody that’s trying to get donations…I try to get donations all the time with the K9’s and charities…if you got somebody that’s legitimately trying to get donations and you say, ‘you know what, I can’t make a decision right now…why don’t you come back in a couple days’…use that couple days to do your homework. Check up on it…see if it’s legit or not.”
Bublitz adds that if the individual is truly trying to get donations, they will be back. Lieutenant Jeremiah Johnson says educating the public on this issue is key to preventing more people from becoming victims.
“It’s one of those things where you don’t know it’s a scam until it’s too late,” says Johnson. “Recovering that money is almost near impossible because even if you do identify the suspects, that money is gone already. So, it’s not really available to be given back to you…that’s the sad part.”
Johnson says even though it can be embarrassing to report that you have been a victim of a scam, he encourages the public to call the agency’s non-emergency number at 920-887-4612 if you have been victimized.
