Davis Florist not associated with phone scam

RUMFORD -- A phone scam has been using the name of a longtime business to try to con senior citizens.

Sherry Milligan, owner of Davis Florist, Inc. on Congress Street, said at least three customers received calls Thursday from someone speaking with a foreign accent claiming Davis Florist was seeking donations to help children in India, asking them for a credit card number. None of them gave out any information.

When she learned this was happening, she contacted the local newspaper as well as a television station to get word out that this shop and bakery, which is involved in several well known charities such as the Relay For Life, would never get involved in anything like this.

Rumford police issued a statement Friday, stating a Rumford resident took a phone call from an unknown number "claiming to be doing a fundraiser on behalf of a Rumford business."

Davis also filed a police report. Rumford police do not identify victims. They were not able to trace the number because it was listed as an unknown number.

While people can and do wire flowers from Davis Florist to people from across the country, the business doesn't wire money to India or anyplace else.

People are advised not to give any personal identifying information over the phone, especially social security and credit card numbers and birth dates.