Scammer Posed as Kent Roosevelt Soccer Player

A scammer posing as a member of Kent Roosevelt's boys soccer team was canvassing Twin Lakes recently soliciting cash for a fake team trip.

Melanie Jackson, 71, was visiting a friend's house in Twin Lakes when a young man knocked on the door on a Friday evening. Jackson said he claimed to have grandparents living in Twin Lakes.

"The story was that his soccer team was entitled to go to London to compete in a soccer tournament there, and so he was earning his own airfare," Jackson said. "He led us to believe it was . And part of the money we would donate to him would go toward buying books for children at Akron Children’s Hospital."

Jackson said the scammer asked her and her neighbor for a check for $34 plus a $15 processing fee. She said he showed them a check from one of their neighbors to convince them of his legitimacy.

"He showed us a check from our neighbors … and the gentlemen worked at the high school and retired last year, so I thought it was OK," she said.

As it turns out, the soccer team was not taking part in either claim. Damon Lewis, head coach of the boys' soccer team at Kent Roosevelt, said the team has no plans for a trip to London.

Jackson and her neighbor later learned the name he had given them, Andrew Zamora, is not listed as a student at the high school — or as a member of the team.

Lt. Paul Canfield said one of the tips that this was a scam is the fact the person didn't have to deliver anything for the payment, as the "books" would be delivered directly to the hospital and the donors would likely never see proof of the alleged trip to London.

Jackson also later learned that the scammer was using different stories and claims throughout her neighborhood to try and steal cash from Twin Lakes residents.

The scammer did give Jackson and her neighbor a receipt for the donation that included a transaction cancelation form on the back. She promptly filled hers out and mailed it to the company listed on the receipt, Experience Sales.

She's hoping to get her $49 check back, but more than anything she wanted to warn others of the scam.

"I could afford to lose this $49, but there may be people who could ill afford to lose the $49," Jackson said.