Tornado Scams/Who's a Professional?

Several readers have reported scams or possible scams involving tornado relief. Since we do not have first hand information concerning the actual scammers, we won't publish names here. We will remind our readers to always donate supplies to authorized collection sites and money to either the Red Cross or various churches located across the valley. Sadly, tragedy seems to bring out those who see an opportunity to make some quick cash.

If you suspect someone of conducting a scam, please report them to the district attorney of the county in which they are operating. Odds are the authorities are already aware of the person or persons, and your complaint will hasten the dodger's arrest.

*****

In case you can't read the small print under G.H.O.S.T.'s phone number, it reads:

The South's Only Professional Paranormal Investigative Team in Alabama

That's quite an interesting statement; does it perchance mean there are teams from the North now investigating in this state...or is it just bad writing. Perhaps someone has been watching too many Ed Wood movies?

Several months ago, Joshua Murphy of Rocket City Paranormal contacted us concerning the possibility of conducting investigations at Sweetwater Mansion. At that time we supplied him with contact information for Susan Leigh Smithson, the property's owner. According to Mr. Murphy, Smithson informed his group that G.H.O.S.T. "had already set up a plan with the owner."

After recently reading G.H.O.S.T.'s blurb of being the "only professional...team in Alabama," we again contacted Mr. Murphy concerning the validity of the statement and asking him if he would like to comment--perhaps write an article for us. Here was his reply:

I appreciate that you would like to do an article on us, however, in the paranormal field, there are not many teams that are open to cooperation and unity. Well, that is what we are about and unfortunately, I am going to have to decline to write a rebuttal to their presentation of themselves as the only professional paranormal investigators in AL. There are several wonderful groups in the state of AL and they all deserve acknowledgement. I feel that if I were to write a rebuttal to their statement, I would be poking the hornets nest, so to speak, and I'd rather not.

Our sincere thanks to Mr. Murphy for his courteous reply.



Shoalanda