Beware of ad scam, police warn

By Tania Martin
HILLS residents are being warned over a scam claiming to support the Monbulk Bowling Club.
Businesses were last week approached by a Queensland company selling advertising for the club in the form of scorecards and coasters.
But Monbulk Bowling Club’s Denise Rutzou has warned hills businesses that it has nothing to do with the club.
“It’s definitely nothing to do with us as we print our own scorecards and we don’t print coasters because this (scam) has happened to us before,” she said.
Businesses are being asked to fork out more than $1000 for these coasters and scorecards and told that it was to support the bowling club.
But this is not the first time the club has been a target for scammers.
In 2008, the club had a similar scam when a business tried to sell advertising in its name for coasters.
“We just want to make sure businesses realise it’s not us they are supporting,” Ms Rutzou said.
Monbulk’s Stockdale and Leggo was one of the businesses approached last week as part of the scam.
But property manager Debbie Westle was suspicious of the deal.
She rang the club and found out that it had nothing to do with them.
“Denise said it was definitely not them … it just didn’t sound right to us,” Ms Westle said.
Monbulk Police officer, Senior Constable David Creek said there was not much police could do about the issue.
He said there were a lot of similar scams going around.
“Usually they are not sanctioned by the group of company they are trying to sell advertising in aid of … they just take the money and usually print the advertising in a publication no-one is ever going to read,” he said.