SCAM ALERT football poster

[PBR1893-BEER-HAT-GUY]

just wanted to let you know there's a woman calling local businesses saying she and her company is affiliated with app and they are creating this years football poster schedule and trying to sell ad space on the poster. she called me telling me that my biz would be the only landscape company on the poster and the spaces started at roughly $250-$300 depending on size. I asked her for a university contact and she put me on hold and then the phone went dead. I called back and asked her the name of her company and she hung up. I didn't go as far as give her any information financially speaking but i'm sure the next step was to get a c.c.# as to hold the ad space...then it's so long sucker and she has your money and info. be on the lookout for this person calling with a 828-305-7038 by the name of "Sherry". tell your friends who might have a local biz around the high country as well.

[BeauFoster]

Call the Watauga Co. Sheriff's Department and report her (if you haven't already). You may also consider calling the SBI, I think they investigate fraud such as this. You've got her mobile phone number, they may be able to get the owner.

[ASU-FTW]

Ha, I just tried calling the number to mess with her a bit. It's been disconnected already...

[PBR1893-BEER-HAT-GUY]

you believe that...i hate scammers who try to rip off hard working people.

[Gonzo]

I hate scammers who try to rip off hard working people.

I guess you're not a fan of the American Government then...

[dontplay90]

Same thing happened with Foard High School here in Catawba County... I work with the boosters to do the "official" calendar. When our fundraiser lady paid a visit to our longtime sponsors, they said they already paid for the year... we had no record. Within a month, in the middle of the night, schedule posters were dropped off by the mystery company at the participating businesses. We had to educate our sponsors to not make checks/payments out to anyone other than Fred T. Foard High School...

One of our boosters called the number on the calendar to "research"... she was hung up on. Another booster called and said they needed a calendar for their team. The person asked them where they were located... as soon as they said "Hickory" the calendar person promptly hung up.

Unfortunately, what they are doing is not illegal (if your high school or entity is not trademarked/restricted)... they do make the calendar, put your business info on there, but NO money goes to the institution. The sales people just don't tell the whole truth. The only way we could really stop them from producing calendars for Foard High would be the cost and time of trademarking...

ASU would be another matter because all things App State are trademarked, etc.

You can put the ASU folks on to them as well... copyright infringement.

[appfury]

I got a call from a guy yesterday wanting me to buy an ad for my landscape lighting business on an ASU football poster. I told him I heard there was a "scam" going around and that I was going to check with ASU first...the phone then went dead. It was from an 828 number as well. Everyone be careful.