Boston police release photos of alleged charity scammers

Boston police are warning about a series of fraudulent charity scams after several women said they were fleeced for donations and strong-armed into thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges. 

In a news release Thursday, the Boston Police Department said there have been 11 reported incidents locally, totaling $170,700 in losses. 

“In these cases, one to three male suspects have approached female victims in parking lots, claiming to collect donations for a deceased child or a related charity,” according to the release.

Boston police shared photos of several suspects, described as Black men between the ages of 20 to 40 years old who have long hair and stand about 5 feet 10 inches tall. One suspect has a red tattoo above his left eye, according to police. 

“Suspects have used mobile payment devices and aggressive tactics, often handling victims’ phones or credit cards before charging unauthorized amounts between $4,000 and $50,000,” police said. 

In three such incidents last month, police alleged the men pressured their alleged victims into giving money by credit card before charging them more than the agreed-upon amount. One woman told authorities the group surrounded her in the parking lot of a Whole Foods on Harrison Avenue in the South End, while two others said they were targeted while walking into a Walgreens on East Broadway in South Boston. 

Boston police say they’ve also received complaints about two to four younger men soliciting donations for a football team or selling candy near South Station, according to the release. 

“These individuals have also displayed aggressive behavior and used card readers to obtain unauthorized funds,” police said, reminding community members to verify charitable organizations before donating, avoid handing over phones or credit cards to strangers, and report suspicious activity to authorities. 

Boston police urged anyone with information on similar scams to call 911 in an emergency or provide tips via the CrimeStoppers tip line by calling 1-800-494-TIPS or texting the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463).

Abby Patkin is a general assignment news reporter whose work touches on public transit, crime, health, and everything in between.