WARWICK, R.I. (AP) — A Rhode Island police department is warning residents about scammers posing as officers.
Warwick police said Tuesday the intended victims are being contacted over the phone by people claiming to be a Warwick police officer. The scammers often use the names of specific officers.
The callers are telling people they have warrants for their arrest and say they can resolve their cases through payments, sometimes in the thousands of dollars, in gift cards, other forms of digital payment or cryptocurrency.
Police say city residents are also being targeted by scammers demanding money over the phone to resolve online romances, computer tech and virus problems, and from scammers pretending to be family members in jail.
Police say they never ask for payments over the phone and anyone receiving a suspicious call should hang up and contact police directly.
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)