Beware of donation collector

SANDPOINT — Organizers of two local fundraisers are warning that someone is trying to hijack donations from area businesses.

Felicia Landingham said the suspect is described as a scruffy Caucasian male who stands about 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 150 pounds. Landingham said she knows the person’s name, but is withholding it for legal reasons.

“But we would like to warn local businesses so they do not donate to a fraud,” Landingham said in a message to the Daily Bee.

Landingham added that the suspect sometimes dresses in cowboy attire while collecting donations.

Landingham helped organize a fundraiser for her sister, Victoria Berg, who has epilepsy. She said the fundraiser is completed and her sister’s condition has stabilized.

Landingham believes the suspect is also scamming donations meant for a young boy with leukemia.

“This man is just going business to business collecting funds for selfish reasons. My family would like to apologize to anyone that has fallen for his scam,” Landingham said in the message.

Landingham said she reported the scam to authorities, who encouraged her to spread the word to the public.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.