Scam artist using the name of a church and a worthy cause to sell phoney raffle tickets

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich (WXYZ) - A mystery woman is using a church name and a worthy cause to sell bogus raffle tickets at $10 a piece.

It is reported she came into the Hair Connection salon on Highland Road on Thursday evening and told some stylists and a customer she was selling raffle tickets from Saint Benedict's Church. The money, she said, would be used for autism research. 

"It's a fraud if that's what's happening," says Sergeant William Dolehanty from the Waterford Police Department.

According to the church office manager, there is no fundraiser going on and no raffle tickets being sold.

Police say as the holidays draw near, these kind of scams are common but the sergeant says it is heartless to use the name of the church and a worthy cause to get people to feel that they should buy a ticket. 

He says you should always ask for identification. 

The woman is described as being blonde and in her 40's or 50's and was wearing a puffy coat. She sold the women in the salon four tickets and reportedly told them her goal was to sell 200 by Saturday and the prizes included a wide screen TV.