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May 8, 2008 4:29 pm US/Central
Parents Being Warned About Child ID Card Scam
SOUTHLAKE (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
It's every parent's worst nightmare... your child goes missing. Now North Texas officials say some people are taking advantage of that fear, and ripping parents off.
People who live in
Southlake are being warned about a child identification card scam moving through the area.
Police say the scammers sell parents the idea that they are keeping their children safe, meanwhile they make off with cash or even credit card numbers.
Police say three women, in their mid-20s, dressed in business casual clothing, have been selling
Drug Abuse Resistance Education
(D.A.R.E.) identification cards for children for $35 each.
Real D.A.R.E. ID cards are legitimate and give parents an easy way to have information handy to give police if necessary.
The women reportedly show homeowners credentials stating that they work with D.A.R.E. and have all the materials necessary to make the cards onsite.
The problem is, the women are telling the parents it takes police 48 hours to issue an Amber Alert if a child goes missing, but with their card an Amber Alert will be issued within six minutes of the reporting a child missing. Local police say a missing child Amber Alert is issued as soon as the case meets Amber Alert standards.
Police say don't fall for the scam just because someone says the ID card will keep a child safe. "People know what D.A.R.E. stands for, they know what D.A.R.E. is all about and it's a trusted name and logo," says Bill Hudgins, with the Colleyville Police Department. "Why not play on that? That's what scam artists do."
The woman who brought the scam to the attention of authorities says she was approached by the women at a Southlake café.
Police say if someone approaches you about a card and you have suspicions, you should call police and report it. Officers can also direct parents to a genuine D.A.R.E. ID card dealer.
Each year millions of students around the world participate in D.A.R.E.. The program is intended to give kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, or violence.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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