BARRINGTON — Two local veterans’ officials yesterday advised people to be wary of telephone solicitors who say they are collecting funds for former servicemen but may, in fact, be ripping off donors.

Robert F. Smith, the adjutant for VFW Post 9742, and former police Chief Charles Brule issued the warning.

The cases are suspicious because the callers ask would-be donors to write out checks and leave them to be picked up at their homes.

“If they indicate that they will be sending someone to your house, that should be a no-no,” Brule said.

“I’ve had something like 16 calls in the last two weeks from people who have made donations and wanting to know if the donations were made correctly or not,” said Smith. “I called two or three other veterans in town and two other veterans had gotten the same call.”

Smith said people who suspect fraud can call him at 245-3285.

Brule said he was tipped off that something was amiss on July 6 when he got a phone call from a “fast-talking individual” who claimed to be soliciting on behalf of the town’s VFW post.

“I questioned him on that,” said Brule, who is intimately familiar with the post’s work. “I said I was employed by a federal enforcement agency and immediately the call was terminated.”

He said one woman from West Barrington wrote out a check for one or two hundred dollars. It went to a group called Veterans Now, which he said he’s never heard of.

“It’s lining the pocket of unscrupulous individuals,” he said.

Smith said in some cases, organizations hire telemarketers to do the calling for them, but the telemarketers end up taking the lion’s share of the money.

“This hurts the VFW and hurts the real person out there trying to get a legitimate donation from the veteran’s hospital or the Veterans Home in Bristol,” Smith said. “Now, when people get a call from the VFW, they’re going to say this must be a scam and hang up on them.”

Smith said people should avoid giving money to anyone who volunteers to pick up a donation at their house. “I say, ‘I want an address to send it to.’ ”

Brule said his rule of thumb is to require solicitors to send him information in the mail. “I’ll review it and if I feel it’s legitimate, I will forward it in the mail.”

gemery@projo.com