There's a brewing Girl Scout cookie scam in Long Island involving an "adorable" girl and her father who had gone door-to-door in several communities to collect money from the victims with a promise that their orders would be delivered. The cookies never arrived.
Mom Christina Malinchak told the New York Post that she and 11 of her neighbors gave money to either the girl, who was around 8 to 11 years old, or her male adult companion, yet they did not return. Kevin Zasowski, another local, also confirmed that a girl approached him with the offer of the Girl Scout cookies, and he gave $20 for a box of four while the man stood by the street.
Both victims reported the incident to the Girl Scouts Council of Suffolk County and the county police, but Zasowski is more concerned about the girl involved in the scam.
"It's not the money. It's not the cookies," he said. "It's what this gentleman is teaching his daughter."
Girl Scout of Suffolk County Heartbroken
Suffolk County resident Maria Feinman said that everyone used the word "adorable" to describe the young girl. While the police are still on the hunt for the perpetrators, the local Girl Scout has urged those who had been scammed to file a report with the police. Although only a dozen had come forward with the complaints about the scam, investigators believed the actual number of victims could be higher.
The Girl Scout of Suffolk County also promised to cover and deliver the boxes of cookies ordered from the bogus sellers. The organization said that they are heartbroken by the misuse of the name and image of the Girl Scout Council for criminal activities.
Dad Michael Lewis warned other families who the father-daughter pair may still victimize. He told ABC News that anyone selling Girl Scout cookies door-to-door is required to be in their uniform. The kids are also instructed not to take cash upfront but are given a form to fill out their orders. So, if these conditions are not followed, it should raise a red flag.
Lewis knows the process well because he has a daughter who sells Girl Scout cookies. When news of the scam went out, Lewis said that his daughter was disappointed because someone tried to exploit the tradition of selling the cookies.
Every year, from February to May, members of the Girl Scouts across the U.S. sell cookies as a learning experience. This activity teaches the kids how to set goals, manage their earnings, learn business ethics and develop people skills.
The local police received reports of the crime from June 18 to 20.
Video of the Scammers
After seeing a story about the Girl Scout cookie scam in the news, a woman has come forward with a copy of a surveillance video of the father and daughter who came to her house to sell Girl Scout cookies in April. The local recalled that the girl took her cash while the man promised they would deliver the cookies on a specific date. He even suggested a spot where he'll keep the cookies in case the homeowner was not going to be around when they came.
The exchange was believable that it was hard to suspect that the father and daughter meant to fool the locals. She even suggested to the father that his daughter and her kids could have a playdate next time.
With the surveillance video, the police said they could start tracking down the father's identity or whereabouts, per Brooklyn News.
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