MACHIAS — The Washington County Sheriff’s Department is advising area residents to be suspicious of telephone solicitations for drug education programs.

Chief Deputy Sidney Hughes said he’s received a report of a caller seeking contributions for a children’s drug education program. Fund-raising for drug education or other law enforcement activities is not done over the phone, Hughes said.

The chief deputy asks that anyone receiving such a call attempt to get a phone number or an address to send the money and then turn that information over to the sheriff’s department at 255-4422.