“This needs to be rectified immediately. So do return the call on our direct line number,” says the automated message from the caller on the other end.
You can receive suspicious messages, such as that one, over the phone. Or by mail.
Recently, letters are being mailed to community residents from the Hospice Support Fund. The fundraising campaign is labeled 2018 Williston Area Appeal. But the donations are going to an organization other than the local hospice program.
“It has nothing to do with our organization. It has nothing to do with any community plea that we’ve put out,” says Emily Pipkin, a social worker with CHI Health at Home Hospice in Williston.
It’s unclear how many residents have received the mailings. CHI Health at Home Hospice learned about them last week. But one resident received a letter as early as January.
‘It does look like someone is trying to get money from the community that’s not any way connected to us,” says Pipkin.
Law enforcement warns against sending money to an unknown source. Instead, if something appears suspicious, do your research and read the fine print. A visit to the Hospice Support Fund website shows that it is not affiliated with any local hospice or any local hospitals in the country, except The New Hope Foundation. A message left for The New Hope Foundation, which has a mailing address based in Tennessee, was not returned by end of business day.
Data also shows that young people are just as likely to be targeted for a scam as senior citizens.
“If it doesn’t have CHI anywhere on the information, then it’s not from us,” says Pipkin.
So it’s a good idea to protect your personal information and remain alert to anything that looks or sounds suspicious.
