BOSTON — The Boston Police Department is warning residents about an increase in scams involving people impersonating law enforcement officers or court officials to try to steal money.
Police said the callers often claim there is a warrant for your arrest, threaten jail time, or say that immediate payment is required to resolve an issue such as missed jury duty.
Scammers may provide fake case numbers, badge numbers, or other credentials to appear legitimate, according to officers.
They may also use the names of real law enforcement officers so that the call appears to come from a legitimate agency.
Officers said in a recent incident, scammers requested payment via bitcoin and asked the victim to enter a Zoom meeting disguised as a court hearing.
Police reminded residents that law enforcement and government agencies will never demand payment over the phone, through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or gold.
If you receive a suspicious message
- Do not provide personal or financial information to unsolicited callers, texts, emails, or messages
- Do not click links in unexpected emails, texts, or social media messages
- If contacted by a robocall, do not press any numbers, as this may lead to additional scam calls
- If you receive a call claiming to be from law enforcement or a government agency, hang up and contact the agency directly using a phone number you know is legitimate.
Anyone who believes they may have been targeted or victimized by a scam is encouraged to take action immediately.
Suspicious activity can be reported:
- Phone: 1-800-494-TIPS (8477)
- Text: Text the word “TIP” to CRIME (27463)
- Online: Boston Police CrimeStoppers Website
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