Police warn residents against door-to-door scammer


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SALT LAKE CITY — Police are warning residents about a scammer who is going door to door, soliciting money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake. They stopped the man briefly Wednesday night, but he is still on the streets.

The man is asking for monetary donations to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake, but he does not actually work for the organization, police said.

The scammer is described as a 6-foot tall black man, 20 to 30 years old, who identifies himself as Jonathan Turner or Tate — a name that also appears on his name tag. The man claims to be from Missouri and carries a red binder that possibly holds names of donors, police said.

Salt Lake City resident Geddy Moyle said a man matching this description visited her home recently, but something didn't feel quite right about the situation.

"(He) asked if we'd want to make a donation," Moyle said. "I told him I didn't have any money, which was kind of true, and then he asked if he could come back."

Amanda Ree Hughes with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake said her organization started taking calls from people like Moyle three weeks ago about the door-to-door solicitor — and they've had about a call a day since.

She said the man has no connection to the Boys and Girls Club, and the organization "would never send anyone door-to-door asking for money."

The man, residents said, makes return trips, and somebody matching his description did so Wednesday night.

Spotting a door-to-door scam

To avoid getting scammed, Salt Lake City detective Richard Chipping said it’s important to verify that any person asking for money door to door is legitimate before giving them money. He suggested the following tips:

  • Ask for identification verification to make sure they are legitimate.
  • Watch for a professional demeanor. If a solicitor is acting strange or asking for information a resident feels uncomfortable with, or if a solicitor asks to come into their home, it may not be legitimate.
  • Reach out to police if you find yourself in a similar situation as the alleged victims in this case.

"My boyfriend actually talked to him (Tuesday), and we didn't have any cash at the time," Ashley Cruz said. Her boyfriend told the man to come back Wednesday night.

After hearing about the scam from KSL, Cruz and her boyfriend waited for him to return, then followed him and got police out to the street, along with our camera.

"We kind of thought we would call the cops and you guys because it was a safety concern for our children," Cruz said.

Police officers questioned the man and then let him go. They said they didn't have enough evidence to take him into custody at that time, but they were writing a report and will continue watching.

As they work on building their case, police are asking anybody who believes they've given this man money to contact them at 801-799-3000.

As for the Boys & Girls Clubs, residents who want to make a legitimate donation to the organization should call 801-322-4411.

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Megan Marsden Christensen

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