Police warn of fraudulent raffle tickets being sold in Puna

Big Island police are warning the public about a man offering bogus raffle tickets that he claims are from a seed shop in Hilo.

A man described as “local” has been confronting shoppers in parking lots in the Puna District and asking them for a $5 donation for a raffle ticket, according to the Hawaii Police Department. The tickets are described as pink, unnumbered and printed with the name of the seed shop.

The seed shop being named is not offering raffle tickets, police say.

Anyone with information about this case should call the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311. Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.