MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Fraud detectives with the Murfreesboro Police Department are warning residents about two separate scams circulating in the area—one involving callers impersonating the city’s police chief and another using fake text messages posing as DMV officials.
In one reported case, scammers spoofed the department’s main phone number and claimed to be Chief Michael Bowen. The caller contacted a Murfreesboro woman and alleged that her father had ordered chemicals that were scheduled for delivery to their home. The suspect then attempted to gather personal information, including the woman’s home address and how long she had lived there. When the woman said she would contact police directly to verify the claim, the caller encouraged her to do so, saying it would make his job easier. She instead hung up and later reported the incident to authorities.
Detectives say a second scam involves fraudulent text messages warning recipients that they have been reported to a Tennessee violation database. The messages threaten prosecution, a 30-day driver’s license suspension, and potential damage to the recipient’s credit score unless immediate payment is made. The texts include links to fake payment websites designed to resemble official DMV platforms…