Ferguson Township Police Warn of Scam Using Officer’s Name

Ferguson Township police have received complaints over the past several days about phone calls from someone impersonating one of the department’s officers in an attempted scam.

According to police, the caller fraudulently uses the officer’s name to try to coerce potential victims into providing financial information to pay a fabricated fine.

Law enforcement will not ask for money over the phone and would direct residents to the courts for any payment, according to a township news release.

“If you receive calls from someone claiming to be a police officer, never provide personal, bank account or financial information,” the release said. “Law enforcement will never ask for Green Dot/MoneyPak cards, Apple iTunes cards or money orders for payment of a fine.”

When in doubt about the legitimacy of someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer, police advise asking for their name, badge number, agency and a callback number. Only call the agency after verifying the phone number provided through an internet search.

“Any police officer will be glad to offer this information and will encourage you to verify their identification,” according to the release.