Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, June 15, 2009 Herald name used in subscription ruse The Herald's newspaper carriers haven't asked readers to pay their bills since the early 1990s. By Jackson Holtz Herald Writer EVERETT -- Be wary answering the front door at home, no matter how trustworthy the person knocking may appear. That's the message from police after two recent incidents involving people reportedly posing as carriers for The Herald trying to collect money. The newspaper doesn't use carriers to collect money from subscribers -- only to deliver newspapers. "Always be cautious and try to identify the person by some means before you open the door," Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said. Officers weren't able to track down a man who approached a home in south Everett on Wednesday, and tried to pass himself off as a carrier for The Herald, he said. The homeowner called 911 when he became suspicious, Goetz said. The homeowner also reported the incident to the newspaper. That's exactly what people should do, Goetz said. "If you have a question or are suspicious, then call the company themselves before you give money or agree to purchase or anything," he said. An Edmonds homeowner in early May also had a suspicious incident involving someone posing as a Herald carrier, officials said. "If you don't know the person, don't open the door at all," Snohomish County sheriff's spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said. Peep holes and chains provide additional security on home doors, Goetz said. Herald carriers stopped the practice of collecting for subscriptions door-to-door in the early 1990s, publisher Allen Funk said. Bills now are settled over the phone or by mail. "If a Herald carrier is contacting you, you should be suspicious," Funk said. "They don't handle money." Anyone with concerns is encouraged to call the newspaper's circulation department at 425-339-3200. Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Girl's death in car crash stuns Granite Falls 2. 787 starts ‘final gantlet' of tests before first flight 3. Inmates to help families of police 4. Lewd baristas face stricter rules 5. Swine flu shots to be available to all in county 6. Woman who died in fire named 7. Roe picked as interim prosecutor 8. Gregoire's budget offers no easy way out of deficit 9. Payout of $44.7 million to clean up Asarco contamination in Everett 10. Roche Harbor's second derby a big hit 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Zambian woman thanks students for their help • Food banks see rise in use • ‘Making Spirits Bright’ in Edmonds • Wolfpack takes aim at state • Seahawks help students smile • 95 and still volunteering • Sno-King joined by local TV king • Veterans back for Wildcats • Lynnwood seeks to plug $2 million budget gap • Snohomish County offers the best and most affordable venues for conferen ... • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed