Baxter County residents should be aware that there are complaints of a person going door to door attempting to sell magazine subscriptions purportedly on behalf of the local German American Partnership Program (GAPP), which is a program associated with the Mountain Home Public Schools.

     The Sheriff’s Office took a complaint report indicating that a man came to the door of a private residence in Mountain Home telling the residents that he was selling magazine subscriptions on behalf of the Mountain Home Schools GAPP program.  The residents bought subscriptions, but later began making inquiries as to the legitimacy of this salesman and his product.  Their inquiries led them to believe that this was not a legitimate enterprise, and they subsequently stopped payment on the checks they had issued.  The Sheriff’s Office was then notified of the suspected scam.

     The Sheriff’s Office consulted with a Mountain Home Police Department School Resource Officer this morning, and he verified with representatives of the local GAPP program that they are not going door to door selling magazines or any other items, nor have they contracted with or agreed for other persons or organizations to do so on their behalf. 

     Therefore, the Sheriff’s Office is warning Baxter County residents to be alert to potential fraudulent magazine sales scams in their neighborhoods.  Persons should not purchase magazines or conduct business with magazines sales persons unless they are able to verify the legitimacy of the activity with known sources or contacts. 

     Any person who is approached at their home by unknown persons selling magazines without valid or verifiable credentials should consider contacting their local law enforcement agency in order that the legitimacy of the sales person and his or her organization can be investigated and hopefully verified.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff