A caller says your shop can sponsor a police department calendar. For a small business, it sounds like a chance to support the community and get its name in front of customers. But a real department name does not make the pitch genuine.
In a warning posted October 23, 2026, Gulf Shores, Alabama, officials said businesses were receiving calls from people falsely claiming to represent Gulf Shores Police. They offered paid calendar sponsorships or advertising. The department said it was not running that campaign. Officials did not disclose how many calls occurred, when individual calls took place, or whether anyone lost money to the calendar pitch.
Sources: City of Gulf Shores · OBA
Why a police calendar sounds like an ordinary business expense
Local businesses regularly hear from groups offering sponsorships, community advertising, or support for good causes. The Gulf Shores pitch uses that familiar setup: pay for an ad while the caller invokes a trusted public agency.
The city did not publish a call script or say the callers spoofed police phone numbers. Still, caller ID can be faked. A department name, a local number, or a polite salesperson does not verify an advertising contract.
Sources: City of Gulf Shores · Federal Trade Commission · Federal Trade Commission
The department directly denied the fundraiser
The October 23 city notice also warns about separate fake planning invoices and calls pressuring employees to collect cash. There is no evidence that the same people were behind all three schemes.
The notice reports a $4,000 loss involving a fake planning invoice, not the calendar offers. For the phone sponsorship pitch, the department stated:
“The department is not conducting any fundraising or advertising campaign.”
Sources: City of Gulf Shores · OBA
The advertising trick has a long history
This is not a newly invented category of fraud. In 1997, the Federal Trade Commission described deceptive sales calls to small businesses offering ads in supposed police, fire, and public-safety publications. Some sellers misrepresented ties to public agencies or where those publications would circulate.
That historical enforcement campaign is not linked to today's Gulf Shores callers. But the FTC's small-business guide still warns about nonexistent advertising, phony listings, and later demands for payment.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission · Federal Trade Commission
Four checks before approving the offer
Legitimate charities and independent community groups can sometimes raise funds for first responders. A police-themed fundraiser is not automatically fraudulent. Verify the organizer's identity and the department's actual involvement. The FTC recommends checking fundraising claims directly with police or fire officials.
End the sales call.
Do not give a card number, bank details, or payment approval while the caller waits.
Find the department yourself.
Use its official website and public contact number. Ask whether the advertised calendar is authorized.
Check the publication.
Request written details about the publisher, price, distribution, and organization receiving payment.
Require normal approval.
Have a designated person independently review any new advertising purchase or invoice.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission · Federal Trade Commission · City of Gulf Shores
What to do if you paid or shared information
Contact your bank or card issuer immediately. Explain the possible misrepresentation and ask whether a charge can be disputed or a transfer recalled. A refund is not guaranteed. If you disclosed account details, ask how to secure the account.
Keep any invoice, receipt, call log, and the seller's claimed identity. Report suspected impersonation to the named department and at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Make sure employees know who can approve business advertising purchases.
You can use PhoneYa to look up or report a suspicious number for community context. A displayed number or lookup cannot certify caller identity. Spoofed numbers may belong to uninvolved people.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission · Federal Trade Commission · City of Gulf Shores
Sources & further reading
- City of Gulf ShoresSCAM ALERT: Multiple Fraud Attempts Target Gulf Shores Residents, Businesses | October 23, 2026
- OBAGulf Shores Police Warn Residents and Businesses About Active Scams | October 24, 2026
- Federal Trade CommissionFTC, 50 States Announce Operation False Alarm | April 1997, historical context
- Federal Trade CommissionScams and Your Small Business | accessed October 25, 2026
- Federal Trade CommissionWhat To Know Before Donating To Help First Responders | accessed October 25, 2026
- Federal Trade CommissionWhat To Do if You Were Scammed | accessed October 25, 2026
By PhoneYa Editorial, based on the sources above.