The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office recently was notified of a scam that is occurring nationwide: the impersonation of a police officer over the telephone. Sheriff’s Office Detectives investigating this incident learned that an individual claiming to be a law enforcement officer within a Warrants Division contacts the victim reference a warrant for their arrest. After the impersonating officer speaks with the victim, he advises that the warrant can be resolved with a payment through MoneyPak or other services such as Western Union, Green Dot, or another wire transfer. The phone number that is being used has a voicemail set up to sound like it’s a police department phone and voicemail.
A second scam that is currently occurring nationwide has some similarities. An individual claiming to be a collection agent advises the victim that they are currently behind on a loan. If the loan is not paid off, the victim will have a warrant issued for their arrest. The victim can have the warrant voided if they pay the remaining balance or a dollar amount agreed upon through a money wire transfer.
Protect yourself against scams and consider these concepts when you are approached with similar situations:
• Bonds for arrest warrants are paid at police departments and correctional institutions. Arrests warrants cannot be paid directly to a law enforcement officer by wiring money or through other programs like Money Pack, Green Dot, etc.
• If you are unsure that a law enforcement officer is calling you, obtain their name and department identification number. Search for the department’s phone number in a phone book or on the internet. Verify directly with that agency if the officer contacting you is employed by that law enforcement agency. Do not ask for the phone number from the person calling you, it may be fictitious.
If you are victim of a scam, identity theft, or observe suspicious activity, report it to law enforcement immediately. Information about current tips, scams, and safety tips are shared on our website, our Facebook and Twitter pages, and at community events and presentations. The Sheriff’s Office’s next quarterly presentation on “Scams and Identity Theft” is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. at the McHenry Township Senior Services Building.
