There's a new scam in Western Colorado, and this one is particularly scummy. Crooks are taking advantage of the valley's generosity when it comes to the ongoing Pine Gulch Fire.

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office reminds you to "ask questions" before donating your money, goods, or services. They advise you to be leery of anyone asking you to donate money to support the firefighters battling the Pine Gulch Fire.

Put simply, via their official Facebook page, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office says, "Fire crews have everything they need."

Should you be asked to donate to support firefighters, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Where is the money going?
2. Who is your contact with that organization?
3. Verify they are in fact working on behalf of that organization.

This is a very generous community, and if you would like to assist, you can safely make donations two ways:

  • Contact the DeBeque Fire Protection District. They can accept your donations by mail at 4580 Frontage Road, De Beque, CO 81630
  • Donate to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, where you can donate directly online.

This is an awesome community. Regrettably, scammers know that. Don't get burned by these fraudulent requests for donations.

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