MURFREESBORO – The Murfreesboro Police Department posted a scam alert on their Facebook page on Wednesday, Apr. 3 for town citizens, particularly elderly ones, to be on the lookout.

“The scam involves an older black male in his mid 50’s scamming people out of money. Most of the time the scams involve some sort of yard work where minimal work is done for monetary compensation,” the post reads. “Usually the suspect, who travels sometimes with a young son, will revisit the victim and try to get more money out of them.”

The suspect is described as sometimes being “very aggressive” in his attempts to ask for money, and often uses the excuse of needing money to get electricity turned back on. He also is known to beg for money in public places such as restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores.

“The suspect is known to seek a ride to a location here in town and during the ride, the destination will change,” the post also states.

MPD Chief David Griffith told the News-Herald the department is currently working to identify each victim, and they are working closely with the school system, Social Services, and the District Attorney’s Office to stop the criminal behavior and ensure the safety of town citizens and visitors.

“We’re not taking this scam lightly,” Griffith said. “He’s been doing it for a while. It’s not just a $20 issue.”

The police chief said elderly people tend to be the most frequent targets of the scam, and that the department is taking the case very seriously.

“We cannot continue to let them (senior citizens) lose money they’ve worked so hard for their entire lives to somebody whose objective is to swindle them out of that money,” he explained.

Griffith encouraged people not to be afraid to dial 911 if faced with the scam. Victims can also call the police station at 252-398-4151 to report an incident. He also encouraged family members of elderly citizens have conversations about avoiding these kinds of scams, and to make sure they know what they’re spending money on and who’s visiting them.