the Scottsdale Police Department (PD) recently announced that they have experienced an influx in calls from local residents about a new phone scam.
“We have had recent reports of people claiming to be officers or detectives with the Scottsdale Police Department contacting citizens by phone,” according to Scottsdale PD.
In those calls the individuals demand payment by gift card or other online payment method to clear up arrest warrants. These calls are not legitimate. The Scottsdale Police Department does not make calls like this or demand payment by gift card.
“No law enforcement agency will ever call a citizen claiming they have warrants or unpaid tickets or anything else and ask for payment in the form of gift cards. Ever,” emphasizes Sgt. B Reynolds with Scottsdale PD.
To avoid being a victim, if you ever have a question about the legitimacy of a call related to the police department, call Scottsdale PD at their non-emergency line at 480-312-5000.
To avoid being a scam victim, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich suggests these tips:
• Do not give anyone your financial or other personal information unless you know who you are dealing with.
• Do not wire money or send a check to someone you don’t know.
• Do not trust a name or number. Contact a company or agency directly to verify if they made the call or sent the letter.
• Register all your phone numbers with DoNotCall.gov. Scammers ignore it, but legitimate businesses generally honor the list.
If you think you have been a scam victim, contact Scottsdale PD or the Attorney General’s Office at 602-542-5025.
