The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is leading a multiagency program to prevent the continuing problem of people posing as law enforcement representatives to collect fines for missed court dates or jury duty.
New program to prevent law enforcement telephone scam
People posing as police to collect fines for missed court dates and other legal matters.
The program, called "Cops Don't Call for Cash," is focused on educating the public that law enforcement agencies don't contact individuals by telephone or e-mail for any kind of payment over legal matters.
"For years, criminals have been posing as law enforcement and demanding payment for some nonexistent legal issue. These scams are often quite sophisticated and are designed to make people feel panicked," Sheriff David Hutchinson said Monday in a statement announcing the program. "Fortunately, this is one of those issues for which education is really the answer. That's why we gave this program the title 'Cops Don't Call for Cash.' Simply remember the name and you'll be able instantly spot a phone scam."
The Sheriff's Office doesn't know the exact number of complaints it's received, but it has experienced a "wave" of reports from scammers claiming to represent the office, said spokesman Jeremy Zoss. It's hard to prosecute the crime because it's challenging to arrest the callers, he said. The Minneapolis Police Department has also had an increase in complaints.
In this type of scam, the caller tells the recipient that a warrant is out for their arrest because they missed a federal court appearance. The caller threatens arrest unless they pay a fine and encourages them to buy prepaid money transfer cards.
The scammers often have technology to make it appear they are calling from a legitimate law enforcement agency telephone number, said the Sheriff's Office. Law enforcement agencies will contact people who owe a fine only by mail.
Anyone who believes they have been victimized by a scam caller should record the caller's number, save any voice mails that may have been left and contact their local law enforcement agency.
David Chanen
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