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APD: Look Out For Donation Volunteer Imposters


While you may be in the giving spirit, the Salvation Army is warning people about con artists out for your cash.

A woman called KEYE TV telling us she and her husband spotted an impostor Red Kettle volunteer collecting donations near Parmer Lane and Metric Boulevard.

After she donated money, she noticed something fishy about the situation.

“I drove off and thought something is not right here, I think I have just been scammed,” said Pam Glass.

Pam Glass and her husband called the Salvation Army and Austin police to report what had just happened, and then went back.

Her husband confronted the man who was waiting at a bus stop.

“About that time a police car drove by and my husband said there is a police man right there and he grabbed the ten dollars back and then the guy took off on foot,” said Glass.

“Well this is not the first time that this has happened,” said Salvation Army Communications Director Randy Allen. “They’re pretty creative scams is what they are, because people are used to the kettles. This one happened to look homemade.”

The Salvation Army says it does not send volunteers to intersections to collect money -- they're typically in front of malls and other businesses.

The Salvation Army’s traditional red kettle is an integral part of the Christmas scene, with millions of dollars donated each year to aid needy families, seniors, and the homeless.

To find out how you can help and where you can find red kettle locations, go to http://www.salvationarmyaustin.org/.

By Adam Racusin