The local firefighters’ union has started asking for donations and selling tickets to its annual comedy show in September.
But as the union makes its calls, President Phil Bouchie said Monday, it’s apparent that someone else is trying to make money off the effort as well.
A man using the name “Jack Black” has been calling local businesses and asking for donations, said Bouchie, and he’s neither part of the firefighters’ union nor authorized to make the calls. Bouchie added that he’s notified police about the scam as well.
“It does seem that someone is out there taking advantage of it,” Bouchie said.
The union started asking for donations in exchange for tickets to the show about three weeks ago, Bouchie said. The union works with All-Pro, a Marlboro-based company whose representatives do the calling. There are four authorized callers— Mike Goodwin, Rebecca LeFantis, Monica Aravgo, and Ken Peters, Bouchie said.
Whoever has been calling under the name “Jack Black” isn’t one.
Bouchie said that two businesses called him late last week after they got a call from a “Jack Black” claiming to be raising money for the union.
The Gloucester firefighters’ union has held the comedy show fund-raiser annually, Bouchie said, and is set to hold this year’s show Sept. 13 at Cruiseport Gloucester.
The drive helps the union raise funds to donate to local charities and causes. Bouchie said the union gives money to local agencies from Action Inc. to the Rose Baker Senior Center; it also makes donations to families and residents in need, and last year, extended money to victims of the Mansfield Street fire, for example.
“This clown,” Bouchie said of the alleged scam caller, “is trying to take advantage of that.”
Steven Fletcher can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3455, or at sfletcher@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenGDT
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