Solicitors May be Scamming Davis Residents

Door-to-door solicitors may be defrauding Davis residents, police say.

In June and July, residents complained about solicitors claiming to represent Urban Development Solutions, an actual for-profit organization. The solicitors collected donation checks, then altered the checks to a larger amount and made the checks out to their own names, police say.

A full statement from Davis Police follows:

In June of 2013, and again in July of 2013, the Davis Police Department received complaints from two residents who appear to be victims of fraud. Both victims stated that an African American male, between the ages of 20 and 25 years old, standing between 5’6” and 5’8” tall with a slim build and dressed nicely came to their door as a solicitor wearing an ID badge around his neck. In each of the cases, the male stated that he was soliciting for Urban Development Solutions (UDS), a charitable organization that assists underprivileged youth. When the victims presented the male subject with their donations in the form of a check, they later discovered the amount of the check was altered to read a higher payment. In addition, the subject added his name to the check in order to obtain cash.

The Davis Police Department is asking anyone who may have contributed money to this organization to check their bank account to ensure the amount written is properly reflected on that check and that it has not been altered. If a community member feels as though they have been victimized, they are urged to contact the Davis Police Department or their local police department to report this crime.

The Davis Police Department would like to remind people to always ask for proper identification when a solicitor comes to the door. The City of Davis requires all door-to-door solicitors to obtain a City permit prior to walking through the community. If anyone feels uncomfortable with a solicitor, or they do not have the proper credentials, they are asked to contact the Davis Police Department.

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