Oyster Bay Town warns of fake donation boxes for toys, clothing

Oyster Bay Town officials are warning of a scam using fraudulent charitable collection boxes to collect toys and clothes for resale.

The town is enforcing a permit program to better regulate collection boxes and recognize reputable charities from scams aimed at stealing donations, said Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino.

"It’s inspiring to see generosity from our residents, but it’s also extremely unfortunate that some take advantage of the kindness of others," Saladino said. "Scams run wild this time of year, and it’s complicated by the pandemic."

The fraudulent homemade charity boxes — typically made of wood or metal — have been left in parking lots throughout the town during the pandemic, officials said.

Those who left the fake boxes often later return and collect the donated clothes and toys to resell for profit, Saladino said.

"There’s a number of ways they profit from donations…," Saladino said. "Scammers are looking to make a buck any way they can."

At the Oyster Bay highway yard in Syosset on Tuesday, town officials showed one of the collection boxes with stenciled letters and a logo containing a fake phone number and showing a cross and ribbon. The town seizes about a half dozen of similar boxes annually, officials said.

Saladino said the fraudulent boxes can mean fewer donations to reputable charities like the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots or the Northport VA Medical Center.

The bins are illegal in town municipal lots, like train station parking lots. Town officials said they are hoping to protect reputable charities by offering free permit stickers through the town’s building department.

Any questionable donation boxes can be reported to the town’s code compliance department at 516-624-6200.

The town is also on the lookout for phone scams seeking personal information like credit cards or Social Security numbers, said Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato. In addition to fraudulent car warranty or credit service phone calls, the town warned of calls targeting the elderly by posing as family members and asking to send money or gift cards.

Charities can be verified through the state attorney general’s website, Pravato said.

"Unfortunately, there are people looking to take advantage of kindness during the holiday season," Pravato said. "Our goal is to keep everyone protected and to make sure contributions actually go to the charity you intend."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.