MONTANA – The Montana Office of Consumer Protection said they’ve received about 25 reports of law enforcement impersonation scams since December.
Supervising Attorney Jake Griffith said the scammers typically ask for about $2500 when they call. Fortunately, he said the 25 people who called in to report the scam didn’t give the scammers any money.
“The general scam is somebody will call,” he said. “They usually spoof, so they’ll clone the number of local law enforcement. And they’ll identify themselves typically as a law enforcement officer, sometimes even using the name of local officers. So, a deputy or a sheriff, or local PD, or recently, Highway Patrol. And they’ll let people know they have a warrant for their arrest, usually for something like missing jury duty. And it they pay it over the phone then they will not be arrested and taken to jail.”
Griffith said if a person misses jury duty and there is a problem, they will typically get a letter in the mail.
You’re never going to get a phone call from law enforcement that says, ‘You have a warrant and pay it over the phone to cure your warrant,'” he said. “That’s really the trigger and the red flag. And it’s never going to be a situation where it’s an untraditional payment, meaning a gift card or prepaid card. The key and sort of the elements to every scam, whether it’s law enforcement or something else, is putting people in a pressure situation where they need to do something immediately or pay immediately. And usually pay with one of those not traceable means.”
Griffith said the scammers typically insist people buy gift cards and pay while still on the phone.
NonStop Local asked Griffith where this is happening:
“Most of the bigger counties have been impersonated,” he answered. “I know Missoula, Flathead, Lewis and Clark, both Sheriff and Helena PD. I think it’s been happening Yellowstone County, Gallatin County. I know Bozeman PD put out., And the last big instances we’ve seen is Montana Highway Patrol.”
If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, he said you can call the Office of Consumer Protection at (406) 444-4500.