A scam has been reported in the area. Fraudsters are pretending to be law enforcement or monitoring agencies. They contact residents and ask for money. The scammers often say a family member needs funds for an ankle monitor or to avoid arrest. They use phone spoofing to make their caller ID look official.
Victims are told that their relative can be released from jail or placed in a treatment center if they pay a fee. The scammers ask for payment through methods that are hard to trace, such as gift cards, wire transfers, Zelle, Cash App, or cryptocurrency. They may check recent arrest records to make their claims seem real. Victims are sometimes told to stay on the phone while sending money.
Warning signs include unexpected calls about a family member in trouble, requests for money over the phone, demands for unusual payment methods, and pressure to act quickly without checking the facts. Authorities state that real agencies do not ask for payment over the phone or request gift cards or payment app transfers…