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According to New York State Police, the false calls, known as "Imposter Scams," involve someone calling and pretending to be a trusted source such as a police officer.
The callers may use technology that displays a fake name or number matching an actual police officer on caller ID, and they may claim a real officer's name and try to convince victims that they are violating the law, have an outstanding warrant, or have a relative involved in an emergency, state police said.
The scammers will then try to convince victims that money is required for fines, medical payments, or bail, and may ask for money to be transferred in "unusual ways devoid of any face-to-face interaction," according to police.
If the thieves successfully get money from a victim, they may try to call back to try it again, authorities said.
To protect yourself against scammers, police suggest some of the following tips:
- Verify supposed emergencies by calling friends and family before sending money;
- When callers pose as a bail bondsperson, ask where relatives are being held and contact the facility directly;
- If a caller is posing as a police officer, get the agency's exact name, hang up, and call that department directly;
- Never send money through the mail or purchase pre-paid debit cards or gift cards to transfer money;
Set social media settings to private to limit the amount of information available to potential scammers, like the names of relatives.
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