A supposed scam in Okotoks has turned out to be a legitimate fundraiser for veterans.

Earlier in the week, the Okotoks Legion heard reports of a man posing as a member of the Legion selling phony coupon books at local businesses.

A few of their members had purchased books, believing that the proceeds would benefit the people of Ukraine.

As it turns out, it was a legitimate fundraiser for a non-profit called 'True Patriot Love.'

A representative from the non-profit did appear in three Okotoks businesses to sell $25 coupon books, with permission from the business owners/managers

Somewhere along the line, alarm bells rang for a Legion member who passed the sighting onto the Legion itself, who notified all of its members, before more sightings were reported.

The organizer of the fundraiser, Keenan Tameling says he was quickly able to ascertain what had happened and contact Okotoks RCMP to clear things up, but by that time, word had spread pretty far.

"We basically clarified that we're associated with a legitimate, active veterans charity, and that we have a coupon book and all the businesses are honouring the coupons and are active businesses and that there was no deception. But by that time, we'd already recognized that apparently a whole bunch of media had picked up on it and there was this whirlwind storm we've never experienced."

He also got in touch with the Legion to assure them the volunteer wasn't posing as a member.

"I really looked at it as 'you know what? They're just trying to protect veterans, the Legion, stuff like that. So when they put out that APB to all their members, they were just looking to protect people. Then I also learned from talking to the RCMP that apparently Okotoks is a little bit of a targeted place for people who do unwarranted solicitations with fake charities and things like that, so maybe the entire populous here is aware and sensitive to that kind of scam."

True Patriot Love supports a number of veterans' organizations including the Calgary Alpha House Society, Calgary Veterans Food Bank, and the Military Families Support Society.

"I like to call them the United Way of veteran's charities because they basically help different veterans' charities get their projects done, get their programming funding, and that kind of stuff," says Tameling.

The coupon book itself features several businesses in Calgary and a few from Okotoks including Cha Cha John's and Millenium Lanes.

"I'm glad to be able to clear the air and let people know that our coupon book is a legitimate fundraising activity for True Patriot Love, and that it is an excellent veterans charity doing great work with veterans across the country, and that our fundraising book locally targets those funds."