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The Vernon Public School District recently alerted the Vernon Police Department of an unauthorized solicitation conducted by an out-of-state business. The business claims that it is raising funds on behalf of “Rockville Athletics,” though they have not been authorized to do so.
Police said that the business did not have permission from the school district to collect any funds and the school has not received any of the donations that have been collected.
According to police, several local businesses sent checks to the solicitors for an undisclosed amount of money, believing that the funds would be used for athletic programs. The solicitor recently mailed the school a small amount of low-quality printed t-shirts with the school logo and advertisements for the donors.
Investigators noted that the school district did not request the shirts and the company did not have permission to print them on behalf of Vernon Public Schools.
“Police are warning residents and businesses to use caution when responding to solicitation requests,” they noted. “Before donating, police recommend you take steps to ensure the solicitor is authorized to collect on behalf of the organization. Only make checks out to the organization you are donating to and mail them to an official address.
“If you are unsure about the validity of a solicitation, you should request additional verification by calling the organization directly. If you believe the solicitation is fraudulent, you can contact your local police department.”
The solicitors are currently being investigated by the Vernon Police Department and Connecticut Attorney General’s Office.
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