IN THE CITY OF Washington —
Near the nation’s capital, a new hoax is gaining popularity. Scammers are allegedly posing as members of the MPD department in an effort to deceive unsuspecting victims through email and phone calls.
Scammers are emulating legitimate government phone numbers, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. This gang is going after victims by informing them that they have an arrest warrant out for their arrest due to a failure to appear in court or serve on a jury.
The con artists then threaten the victims with immediate arrest if they visit police headquarters to inquire about the warrants. In the midst of their terror, the scammer starts negotiating with the victims.
As an alternative to arrest, they will ask the victims to donate money so they can avoid incarceration. Subsequently, the con artists advise their victims to keep quiet about the recent call in an effort to avoid detection.
As of late, con artists have escalated their email scams by include photoshopped IDs and MPD badges.
Act without feeling obligated. Scammers might still be real even if they have your address and identity in the public record. Get in touch with the relevant authorities using the customer care information posted on their official websites to be sure.
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Never will MPD ask for money over the phone. Keep your personal details, financial details, and credit card numbers to yourself. No one you don’t know should ever receive a wire transfer or other electronic payment.
Teach people what you have learned. Help keep your community safe by alerting those you care about about the fraud.
They would never knowingly ask for money, bank details, or social security numbers, the police are assuring the community. It is imperative that anyone who has fallen prey to this fraud gets in touch with the Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit at 202-727-4159.