The Maryland State Police (MSP) are alerting residents to a recent scam where individuals are impersonating state troopers and officers from other police agencies. The scammers are using deceptive tactics, including faking caller ID information to appear as legitimate law enforcement.
According to the MSP, these fraudulent callers are demanding money or requesting personal information, such as Social Security numbers and bank details. The MSP emphasizes that they will NEVER call citizens to ask for money or private information over the phone.
The public is advised to take the following precautions to protect themselves from this scam:
• Hang up immediately: If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a police officer and asking for money or personal information, end the call immediately.
• Verify the information: After hanging up, contact your local MSP barrack or police department directly using a verified phone number to confirm the validity of the call.
• Protect your information: Never disclose sensitive information such as your Social Security number, bank account details, or other private data to an unverified caller.
For those who believe they may have already been a victim of this scam and have provided personal information, it is crucial to take immediate action. The MSP advises notifying your bank and reporting the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.
