WILMINGTON, DE — The Wilmington Police Department has issued a warning to residents about a rise in phone scams, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officers in an attempt to unlawfully solicit funds.
The police department announced that it received a report recently of a scammer presenting themselves as a member of the force. The caller falsely claimed that the recipient had an active arrest warrant and would need to pay a fine to clear it.
This scam mirrors others reported by partner agencies in the region. In these scams, the caller will often allege that the person being called or a family member has a pending charge or warrant. The scammer then instructs the target to alleviate the supposed legal issue by paying a fine using a payment card or gift card.
Residents are reminded that a police department will never contact a member of the public to solicit funds. The only legitimate way to alleviate a warrant is to appear at the issuing court or agency.
Phone scams are not new, but their frequency and sophistication have been on the rise in recent years. They exploit trust and fear, often targeting vulnerable individuals. Here are some tips to help identify and deal with phone scams:
- Be skeptical: If someone calls claiming to be from a government agency and demanding immediate payment, it’s likely a scam.
- Don’t trust caller ID: Scammers can spoof phone numbers to appear as if they’re calling from a local number, or from a trusted organization.
- Never provide personal information: Never give out sensitive information such as social security numbers, bank account numbers, or credit card information over the phone unless you initiated the call and trust the recipient.
- Hang up and call back: If in doubt, hang up and call back on a verified phone number for the organization the caller claims to represent.
If you receive a suspicious call, especially one claiming to be from the Wilmington Police Department, please report it to the department at (302) 654-5151. You can also contact the department at this number to verify the authenticity of a call claiming to come from the police.
Stay vigilant, Wilmington. Protecting yourself against scams is an important part of maintaining your personal and financial security.
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