SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WKRN) – Officials in Spring Hill are warning the public about a scammer posing as a member of the Spring Hill Fire Department.

City officials said on Aug. 3, the Spring Hill Fire Administration was alerted to a possible phone scam where businesses were being asked to provide financial sponsorships to the Spring Hill Fire Department for “ongoing fire prevention activities.”

On Aug. 4, fire officials confirmed they spoke with Paul Bohlander of Community Fire Stoppers in New Windsor, Illinois, and found out he was falsely representing himself as a member of the Spring Hill Fire Department and was actively working to defraud businesses by having them buy sponsorships ranging from $500 to $1,250 for fire prevention activities, according to officials.

On Thursday, Aug. 24, the Spring Hill Fire Administration was alerted to another victim – a business owner in Chapel Hill – who was also scammed by Bohlander.

“Municipal fire departments rarely, if ever, seek large financial sponsorships through third parties, and if a business has questions about the contribution, they should contact the fire department directly before issuing any payments,” Spring Hill Fire Chief Graig Temple said.

Anyone believed to have been scammed by Community Fire Stoppers or Bohlander is encouraged to call their local law enforcement agency and file a police report for fraud and theft.