Scam artists target Phinney Ridge - FYI

By Sara Jean Green

Seattle Times staff reporter

A man and a woman who have been going door-to-door in Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood soliciting donations for a local nonprofit this morning are scam artists.

Judith Wood, the director of volunteer programs for the Phinney Neighborhood Association, received a telephone call from a resident about the couple early today. The resident told Wood that the duo say they are raising funds for a program at the association's Phinney Neighborhood Center aimed at keeping kids off the streets, off drugs and out of trouble.

Problem is, the association doesn't run any such program.

"We do not do door-to-door solicitations and we don't have any programs designed to keep kids off drugs and off the streets," said Wood. "They have nothing to do with us and we want people to know not to give them any money."

Wood called Seattle police but was told officers can't do anything unless they are able to catch the couple in the act. She's hoping an alert resident will call 911 with a description of the couple and any vehicle they may be driving.

She said they are flashing laminated, photo ID badges in an apparent attempt to appear legitimate and are giving away copies of the association's newspaper, The Phinney Ridge Review. Wood cautioned residents against confronting the scammers, who asked one resident to make out a check to an individual named "Harry."

The Phinney Neighborhood Center is an independent, nonprofit community center at 6532 Phinney Ave. N. The association runs a variety of programs at six locations, including the center, a former school building that houses an after-school care program and a parent-run preschool co-op, Wood said.