Phone scam on the rise, Florida police department warns

Photo by Neptune Beach Police Department | Facebook

An emerging phone scam trend is on the rise according to a social media release from the Neptune Beach Police Department.

"A scammer posing as a Law Enforcement Officer will call and inform the victim that they have an arrest warrant for some type of various violation, like failing to appear for jury duty." the announcement made to the Neptune Beach Police Department's Facebook page on September 27 reads, in part.

"They then convince the victim to transfer a large sum of money, by means of untraceable Cryptocurrency, gift card numbers, or other means to resolve the legal problem."

The post goes on to note that suspects making the scammy phone calls may have specific, detailed information about the victim that may make them appear legitimate, some even calling from telephone numbers that appear to be associated with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

The police department states that there are several important things to keep in mind if you receive a phone call as described above, including the following:

• No law enforcement agency or judicial office will EVER ask you to wire them funds or send them gift card numbers.
• The scammer may have specific information about you such as name, address, date of birth, place of employment, relative names, etc. to seem more legitimate.
• The scammer may say a warrant has been issued or will be issued in your name or tell you that there is a family emergency or member in need of assistance.
• The scammer may use “spoof” technology to represent their phone number as a legitimate agency phone number.

So how can you protect yourself in the event of being on the receiving line of this phone scam? The Neptune Beach Police Department recommends the following:

• Never provide financial information over the phone.
• Do not wire funds or send gift card numbers to anyone posing to be with a government agency.
• Take detailed notes during the interaction. If in doubt talk to a friend, neighbor, or family member about its validity.
• If you want to confirm the identity of a law enforcement officer, obtain their name, ID #, and agency information. Then call the agency directly.
• If you are ever in doubt, call the police department directly.

Article by Rachael Volpe