Dexter Police Department

5 days ago

The Dexter Police Department has received numerous calls from individuals from other states regarding a Scam. They are being call stating a relative is in custody and they need to send money with the Dexter Police Department phone number as the caller. This is a scam and we are not accepting any pre-paid cards for bond.

We know scammers are out there, impersonating the authorities, spoofing their phone numbers and conjuring up different schemes to fool people into giving them money.

The current scam is; You get a phone call. Someone you care about is in jail and, they say, you need to pay up to bail him out. The You’re skeptical – but the caller ID says the call is from the police department.

And, let’s be honest, your nephew is a knucklehead and you can totally imagine him being arrested. So, you keep listening, and call your nephew or whichever family member they are staying they are.

The caller tells you to put money on a prepaid card and give him the card number. You know that police
departments — and the federal government, for that matter — don’t tell people to pay with prepaid cards. You also know using a prepaid card is like paying cash — once the money is gone, you can’t get it back.

“But what about the caller ID?” you wonder. In fact, what seems like reliable information about the source of a call isn’t so reliable anymore. Scammers can rig caller ID to look like they’re calling from the police department. Or, really, anywhere — even your own number. Don’t rely on caller ID. It’s not foolproof. Scammers can easily spoof it to try to gain your trust. If it looks like the police are calling, look up the non-emergency phone number (hint: it’s not 9-1-1) and call to find out if the story is legit. ... See MoreSee Less

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