Beware: Scammers Posing as Police Officials Targeting New York Residents
Scammers have been posing as police officials in an attempt to defraud residents of New York. The latest scam involves a fake police officer named Officer Johnson who claims to be from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office. Undersheriff Eric Chaboty has warned residents about this scam, highlighting the fraudulent tactics used by these scammers.
The scammers contact their victims, claiming that there is a warrant for their arrest due to their failure to report for jury duty. To avoid arrest, the victims are instructed to pay a fine over the phone. The scammers then ask the victims to purchase a prepaid debit card and provide the card number during a subsequent telephone call. However, Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff has emphasized that this is a scam from the beginning, as fines are never paid over the phone in New York State.
Sheriff Schiff has highlighted the common thread in these scams – the scammers always request payment through prepaid debit cards, Western Union, or MoneyGram. In some cases, they even send someone to the victim’s house to collect the money. He has urged residents to be vigilant and not fall for these scams. Any legitimate matters involving jury duty will be communicated through a letter sent via US Mail, and the Sheriff’s Office would never make a phone call regarding this matter.
Residents should also be cautious of scams where they are informed that a relative has been arrested and requires bail money, needs to pay a fine, or has been involved in a car accident. These tactics prey on people’s emotions and try to manipulate them into sending money. Sheriff Schiff advises residents to remain vigilant and to contact the Sheriff’s Office if they suspect any fraudulent activity.
In conclusion, scammers are posing as police officials in an attempt to scam New York residents. The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office warns residents about the latest scam involving a fake officer who claims that the victim has a warrant for their arrest due to failure to report for jury duty. The scammers then demand payment over the phone, typically through prepaid debit cards. Sheriff Schiff stresses that fines are never paid over the phone in New York and urges residents to be cautious and report any suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s Office. Stay vigilant and protect yourself from these fraudulent schemes.
