Shillong: Laitumkhrah police arrested two men on Wednesday after they allegedly ran a donation scam. The pair claimed to represent the Mumbai-based Bombay Teen Challenge to swindle cash from residents. Local resident Wilfort Rynghang grew suspicious when the men approached his home carrying a questionable letter. He checked the organization online and confirmed the duo lacked authorization to collect funds.
Rynghang held one suspect at his home and took his scooter keys. The second man initially ran away, but police tracked him down soon after. Rynghang believes the pair acted as part of a four-man crew that already hit multiple households. He warned that these home visits create security risks for families left home alone.
Ammon Immanuel, a project director at the regional branch, confirmed that the charity never uses door-to-door drives. He noted that one of the suspects previously completed a rehabilitation program at their Mumbai facility but relapsed. "We have come across a few cases where individuals are raising funds in the name of Teen Challenge. This is fraudulent. We do not send people to collect donations from households or individuals," Immanuel said.
The organization handles all payments through official channels and does not solicit street donations. Immanuel urged the public to verify credentials before handing over money. He stated that this marks the first time someone abused their name for fraud in this region.
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