Charity scam
Scammers posing as a charity bilked a Flagstaff woman out of thousands of dollars.
According to the police report filed this past Thursday, the victim answered a Craigslist job post ad that appeared to be for a nonprofit called the New Guinea Women's Project. The victim thought she was being hired to purchase supplies for the charity and then send them to the New Guinea embassy in Washington D.C. Although there is a Papua New Guinea Embassy, there is no embassy for New Guinea, as it is an island but not a country.
The victim received a $3,950 check from a company called Clear Visions Technologies in the mail Dec. 21. She deposited it into her bank account a couple days later and then withdrew $3,722, which she sent to a third party via Western Union.
This past Wednesday, her bank informed her that her bank account was more than $3,000 in the negative because the check she had deposited was fraudulent. The bank closed her account as a result.
The investigation is ongoing.
Charged with DUI
— Ashlee Marie Stoops, 26, of North Izabel Street was arrested and charged with DUI at 10:58 p.m. this past Thursday.
City and county residents who want to report a crime but wish to remain anonymous may call Silent Witness at 774-6111 or (877) 29-CRIME, submit a tip online at www.coconinosilentwitness.org, or text the word “Flagtip” along with your information to 274637 (CRIMES). Rewards of up to $2,000 are given for information that leads to an arrest.