Magazine fundraiser a scam, hospital says

Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital is warning area residents that a door-to-door fundraiser claiming to represent the hospital is perpetrating a scam. The swindle involves the sale of magazines or book sets with prices ranging from $50 to $118. “We do not do door-to-door solicitations,” says Rebecca Johnson, hospital spokeswoman. She says the scam has canvassed numerous neighborhoods throughout Baton Rouge and Geismar. “It’s not limited to a small area,” Johnson says. She urges anyone who receives these visits to take typical safety precautions. “We’re encouraging people who have received these visits to contact local law enforcement so that they can get on it,” she says. No suspects have yet been identified. —Ian McGibboney