The local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is warning Cochrane residents to not fall for a phone scam asking for money ahead of this year's Poppy Campaign.
The Cochrane Legion, Men of Vision, Branch 15 issued a statement on social media last week reminding residents that Legion members and volunteers do not ask for money over the phone.
Darla Gullons, poppy chair with the Cochrane Legion says unfortunately this isn't a new scam.
"I do believe there is something out of Ottawa that may have precipitated this, and we've had these issues in past years, this is not something new. People will phone you or they'll send you an email."
Gullons says while they're always grateful for donations received from the annual campaign, they don't go out asking for money.
"We are not allowed to solicit"
She says all proceeds from the annual campaign stay in the Cochrane area to aid local veterans and support local causes.
"It goes to help veterans and that doesn't just mean military veterans. We cover RCMP, we cover police and we cover first responders and part of that is they wind up with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or they have certain issues that need to be dealt with."
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The Legion serves Cochrane and the surrounding area and organizers ordered 40,000 poppies for this year's campaign.
The campaign officially kicks off in Cochrane on Friday, Oct. 25 and continues until Nov. 11, Remembrance Day.