Scammers have recently targeted small businesses in the Grand Valley and police say that everyone should be more cautious.

Some local businesses in Fruita received phone calls from people who said they were with the Fruita Chamber of Commerce. The callers claimed to sell ad space and asked for credit card information. While one business fell victim, others knew something wasn't quite right.

The Fruita Chamber of Commerce is warning its members. Director Shauna Davies says several businesses have been contacted by an out of state company posing as the chamber.

"There was a gentleman calling our members. It's membership directory time for us to call and do our ad sales and he was calling from River City Publishing in Peoria, Illinois, saying that he was a representative of the chamber and getting their credit card information and selling ads in our directory", explained Davies.

The chamber quickly alerted all of its members, one of which said he was contacted but knew something was fishy.

"There was some red flags coming up because first of all, the Fruita chamber doesn't normally go and outsource their directory and he said that I would do a $150 for this quarter page ad on page five but I shouldn't tell anybody else because it's such a good deal and he wanted payment now", said Steve Menzies, Owner of J Lock & Key.

Police say everyone should always be cautious and never be pressured into anything.

"Go ahead and ask the questions. Get information. Get as much information as possible and then not authorize it until you are comfortable that this is a legitimate transaction and that you feel more comfortable with that. You should always be more informed before you authorize that stuff", said Police Chief Mark Angelo of the Fruita Police Deparment.

If any Fruita businesses have been contacted by anyone posing as the chamber, they're urged to call the Fruita Police Department and inform the chamber of commerce as well.