The Carriere Fire Department wants to alert the community about a potential scam that has been allegedly going on over the past few days.

Andrew Copeland with the Carriere Fire Department said that the department has been receiving reports from the Rock Ranch Road area about an older man going door-to-door requesting donations for the fire department.

Copeland said the report caused him to be concerned because Rock Ranch Road is outside of the Carriere fire district and he knew that any fundraisers for the department are held in September, he said.

Copeland said that when representatives of the department start fundraising efforts in September, that person will have a form of identification showing that his name is Don Jones.

Additionally, the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department will be informed prior to the official door-to-door fundraiser starting, Copeland said.

Pearl River County Fire Marshall Albert Lee said he has also received a complaint on Monday from a volunteer firefighter with the McNeill Volunteer Fire Department about a man matching the same description going door-to-door asking for donations. Lee said that fundraisers in the McNeill Fire District are also held in September.

Lee said that the man in question has been described as a white male with grey hair, between 5ft. 11” to 6 feet in height. Due to the vague description, Lee is asking the community to take note of any suspicious people asking for money for a fire department, and attempt to provide a more detailed description of the suspect, his vehicle and possibly provide surveillance footage.

“What we need is a better description than an elderly man with gray hair,” Lee said.

Copeland asks residents to be suspicious of people seeking donations and to request proof of identification.

Any details about the suspect can be reported to the Sheriff’s Department at 601-795-2241.