A phone scam requesting donations for burn victims has been reported across Wyoming, including in Sweetwater County.
In the scam, potential victims receive a call asking for donations from what appears to be a phone number beginning with 307-886, which is from Afton, Wyo. In some cases, the scammers have represented themselves as members of the Wyoming State Firemen’s Association and the Wyoming Paramedic Association. In other cases, the scammers are unclear as to who they are representing.
Multiple people across the state have reported these kinds of phone calls, including Rock Springs Fire Department Chief Jim Wamsley who received a call earlier this week.
“In my case, when I asked for clarification of who was calling they just hung up, so I didn’t call them back,” said Wamsley. “The next day I received an email through the State Fire Marshal’s Office indicating that there was a scam going around with folks indicating that they were trying to raise money for burn awareness or child burn injuries on behalf of the Wyoming Firemen’s Association.”
Wamsley said the Wyoming State Firemen’s Association does have one fundraiser throughout the year, which involves selling raffle tickets. For that fundraiser, tickets are sold by local firefighters and are not sold over the phone.
“To the best of my knowledge, none of the Firefighters’ Associations or the Fire Chiefs’ Association from the state of Wyoming conducts phone solicitations for donations,” said Wamsley.
Wamsley recommends for anyone who gets a phone call soliciting money for firefighters or burn victims to get as much information as possible and to contact their local fire department for verification.