'Good-hearted' drivers conned into donating money for funeral of kid who was 'very much alive' after scammers held up signs of the 'deceased' child: Cops

A group of "scammers" was caught successful California holding up pictures of a child connected the broadside of the roadworthy portion telling motorists the youngster had passed distant and they needed wealth for funeral costs when, successful reality, the younker was "very overmuch alive," cops say.

Photos shared by the Palm Springs Police Department amusement astatine slightest 3 individuals lasting astatine the intersection of Ramon Road and San Luis Rey Drive successful the Riverside County metropolis portion holding up pictures and signs. They tin beryllium seen approaching cars and speaking with motorists, according to cops. Two of them were aboriginal arrested.

"Scammers proceed to usage emotionally charged stories to instrumentality vantage of good-hearted people," the section said successful a statement. "One of the astir communal tactics involves holding signs with photos of children and claiming they request assistance with ceremonial oregon aesculapian expenses."

Police accidental operations specified arsenic these are often organized and the images the scammers usage are often stolen from existent charities oregon pulled consecutive from the internet. In this case, the individuals were allegedly walking into the intersection with photos of a kid that they claimed died erstwhile investigators confirmed the kid was alive.

"Officers looked into their communicative and confirmed the kid they claimed was deceased is precise overmuch alive," Palm Springs PD said. "We cognize galore successful our assemblage person encountered akin situations."

Police urged section residents not to springiness wealth to radical "stepping into the roadway oregon lasting connected medians to solicit cash," particularly portion utilizing affectional stories oregon photos.

"This behaviour is unsafe, and galore of these operations are fraudulent," the section said. "If you travel crossed this benignant of enactment successful Palm Springs, telephone our non-emergency line."

The individuals who were arrested are some from Redlands and they look charges of obtaining wealth by mendacious pretenses and conspiracy to perpetrate a crime.