Oklahoma City Marijuana Dispensary Owners Warning Of Alleged Scam Artist

Tuesday, March 26th 2019, 10:42 pm

By: News 9

Local medical marijuana dispensaries are warning about an alleged scam artist who has been posing as a member of a firefighters’ organization.

Rick Wheaton of “Rick and Bunni’s” Smoke Shop and Dispensary says the man came into their shop just after 1 p.m. Tuesday. The man showed a flier and claimed he represents an organization called “Firefighters Charitable Foundation Incorporated.”

Wheaton said after he gave a $25 donation, his wife looked online and checked with the operators of that New York-based charity. Wheaton’s wife concluded the man was running a scam.

“He tried to still say he was a legitimate person with that organization,” said Wheaton. “And I told him, ‘No. We called your organization and they don’t send people out, they do it all by mail.’”

“Well what did he say?” asked News 9’s Steve Shaw.

“Uh, he couldn’t say anything,” said Wheaton. “He couldn’t’ say anything. I pulled my knife out and told him to give my money back. Yeah, you ain’t gonna [sic] rob me and get away with it,” he said.

An Oklahoma City Fire Department spokesperson told News 9 they’ve never heard of “Firefighters Charitable Foundation Incorporated.”

Brock Downing of "46 Releaf Dispensary" in downtown OKC says the same man who solicited at Rick and Bunni’s Tuesday, has collected donations from him too. “It’s just sad,” he said.