Police: Fire charity scammer calls Pa. chief

[February 13, 2010]  NORTH EAST, Pa. (AP) -- Police in northwestern Pennsylvania suspect a scam in which people are asked to donate money to disabled firefighters was nipped in the bud when the con artist called a wrong number: that of the local fire chief.

Crescent Hose Co. fire Chief Dave Meehl said the caller said he was "collecting money for disabled firefighters. Right off the bat, he said he took all major credit cards."

When Meehl told the man he was the fire chief, the caller hung up.

Police in the Erie suburb of North East, where Meehl is chief, said they've had no similar complaints in recent days. But Meehl said others have told him they've gotten similar calls.

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Information from: Erie Times-News, http://www.goerie.com

[Associated Press]

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