Earlier this month, everyone was sent a crime alert email regarding three men who were trying to sell care packages to students. According to the email, there were two Caucasians and one African-American attempting to hoax people around campus, asking them to purchase care packages that would then be sent overseas to U.S. servicemen and women.

One of the perpetrators was described in the email: “He used the first name of ‘Ryan’, and he appeared to be between the ages of [twenty and thirty], brown hair, blue eyes, average build, and approximately 5-foot 9-inches tall. This male has a series of tattoos on his forearms.”

The other two were not described any further, but their vehicle was. They were driving a gold suburban with a Texas license plate and tinted back windows.

The gentleman known as “Ryan” talked to the students the most. Madison Merritt, a SMSU student who was approached by Ryan, described what he said, and did to swindle money from her.

“When he first approached me, he asked where I was from,” Merritt said. “Ryan” told her that he was from New York. Merritt said that she thought he was going to ask her for directions, and he didn’t look much like a salesman.

After the introductions, he started to push his products and then another girl came up to listen to what he had to say.

He claimed that they were on the “boys’ team” of salesmen, and needed to earn points so they could provide soldiers’ care packages. He also said that the boys’ team had lost last year because the girls wore low cut shirts and use their “ass-sets” to win.

The sexist slurs and unprofessional vending made Merritt uncomfortable, so she left before he could get any money from her or try and talk to her more.

The men haven’t been a nuisance since the email went out, but be sure to keep a look out for them, and contact Public Safety immediately if you see people matching the description.

If you gave the men money and/or personal information, you should contact SMSU’s Public Safety Department at 507-537-7252 or visit them in the basement of Founders Hall.