Potential scam involving the fire department is circulating in the Ligonier Valley area

LIGONIER, Pa. — Ligonier Valley Police are warning of a potential scam involving the annual donation drive for area fire departments.

Residents have been reporting phone calls soliciting for donations, but police say the donation drive operates by mail only.

“Our Ligonier Valley fire companies collectively send a letter out by mail for donations for the fire department and its shared equally across the board,” Ligonier Valley Police Department Assistant Chief Mike Matrunics said.

The fund drive signs are posted all over town and while police don’t believe anyone has actually fallen victim as of yet, they say the fire departments will only contact you by mail, never by phone.

“There’s no phone calls being made. It’s only by mail so please do not respond or provide personal information as we’ve been saying for years for any type of fraud,” Matrunics said.

Police say if you do get one of these calls, hang up and report it to them.

In a year when fundraisers have been uprooted for local departments because of the pandemic, annual donation drives like this are critical to the survival of these local fire departments who are 100% volunteer based.

“It is vital. It is a very great support to the local fire companies, and without them it would be a lot more work for us volunteers to be out trying to do fundraisers; this has been a great success for us,” Matrunics said, who is also a volunteer firefighter.

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