Hunterdon County officials warn residents about ongoing phone scams posing as law enforcement
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – The Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and the Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office are alerting residents to be vigilant against ongoing phone scams in which perpetrators impersonate law enforcement officials. These scams have been reported both nationally and within Hunterdon County.
Typically, the callers inform victims that a warrant has been issued for their arrest due to reasons such as failure to appear in court or failure to pay taxes. Scammers often use the names of actual law enforcement personnel and may disguise their phone numbers to make it appear as though the calls are coming from a local police department or sheriff’s office.
In many cases, these fraudsters instruct victims to withdraw money from their bank accounts and deposit it into fraudulent accounts. They provide victims with account and PIN numbers and direct them to locations, including CoinStar machines, for the transactions.
Officials emphasize that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never demand payment of fines or fees using gift cards, cryptocurrency, or over-the-phone transactions.
Hunterdon County officials offer these tips:
- Never provide your Social Security number or date of birth to anyone who contacts you unsolicited.
- Never share any financial information, including bank account or credit card numbers.
- Never purchase products such as gift cards or cryptocurrency to settle a debt.
If you receive a call regarding a debt or warrant from someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer, take the following steps:
- Note the name of the individual.
- Hang up the phone.
- Look up the agency’s main telephone number and call that line, not the one provided by the caller, to confirm the inquiry.
Residents are also encouraged to notify their local police department if they receive what appears to be a scam phone call.