HALIFAX -- Hope for Wildlife in Seaforth, N.S. is warning the public about a scam where people are going door-to-door asking for money on behalf of the organization.
"We started getting calls about three days ago that someone was knocking on doors and asking for money on behalf of Hope for Wildlife ... It's not something we would ever have done, so it's obviously fraud," said Hope Swinimer, the founder of Hope for Wildlife.
The animal rehabilitation centre contacted police to make them aware of the situation and shared a message on their Facebook page to warn others.
They say they received reports of a woman knocking on doors in Dartmouth asking for money, while wearing a Hope for Wildlife hat – merchandise that can be purchased online.
Other reports also started coming in, this time, from the Timberlea, N.S. area. Sandra Thomas, who works at Hope for Wildlife, says the Timberlea suspect was described as a young man.
"He had a toque down on his forehead and the mask up, so he said there was no way he could identify him," said Thomas.
Representatives with Hope for Wildlife say so far, no money has been given to any scammers. The Better Business Bureau says scams have gone up during the pandemic, but this is the first time this year it’s received a report of someone in Atlantic Canada impersonating a charity.
"If they are pressuring you to give on the spot, that is a major red flag and I would say, do not give into that pressure," said Kristin Matthews, with the Better Business Bureau.
