Police ImpersonationImpersonation An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for impersonating someone, such as: part of a criminal act such as identity theft, online impersonation scam, or other fraud. This is usually where the criminal is trying to assume the identity of another, in order to commit fraud, such as accessing confidential information or to gain property not belonging to them. Also known as social engineering and impostors. ScamScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. Phone Calls

How ScamsScams A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. Work

A SCARSSCARS SCARS - Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. A government registered crime victims' assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization based in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. SCARS supports the victims of scams worldwide and through its partners in more than 60 countries around the world. Incorporated in 2015, its team has 30 years of continuous experience educating and supporting scam victims. Visit www.AgainstScams.org to learn more about SCARS. Series

How To Spot A Police Impersonation Scam Phone Call?

Scammers (Especially From India) Frequently Call And Pretend To Be Local Police Or Other Agencies

Scam phone calls are common, pretending to be from the police or other entities you trust – like your local police or sheriff is becoming more common.

The goal of these fake phone calls is usually to try and get your personal information or your bank details or your money. The scammers/fraudsters will then try to encourage you to make a bank transfer into a bank account they have access to or receive money in some other way, such as gift cards. They can often sound very real,

They count on your fear and anxiety to confuse you!

Police Impersonation Scams

Depending on where you are, police impersonation scams behave differently.

In the U.S. & Canada, it is usually based on a threat of jail or imprisonment because the victim has not done something, such as pay a fine, skipped jury duty, or failed to respond to something. In the UK they are typically calling to help the victim solve some other issue like a bank account transaction or account take-over.

They may claim to be the police, sheriff, FTCFTC The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) U.S. antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC can also act as a clearinghouse for criminal reports sent to other agencies for investigation and prosecution. To learn more visit www.FTC.gov or to report fraud visit ReportFraud.FTC.gov, ActionFraudActionFraud Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime where you should report fraud if you have been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. WEBSITE LINK. Secret Service, FBIFBI FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, the FBI is also a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and reports to both the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence. A leading U.S. counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal investigative organization, the FBI has jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes, including financial fraud. or NCA or RCMPRCMP The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) // Gendarmerie royale du Canada (GRC)), colloquially known as the Mounties, and is the federal and national police service of Canada, providing law enforcement at the federal level. The RCMP also provides provincial policing in eight of Canada's provinces (all except Ontario and Quebec) and local policing on a contract basis in the three territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon) and more than 150 municipalities, 600 Indigenous communities, and three international airports. The RCMP do not provide active provincial or municipal policing in Ontario or Quebec. However, all members of the RCMP have jurisdiction as a police officer in all provinces and territories of Canada., Homeland Security, IRSIRS The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue & tax service of the United States federal government responsible for collecting taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code (the main body of federal statutory tax law.) It is part of the Department of the Treasury and led by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, who is appointed to a five-year term by the President of the United States. The duties of the IRS include providing tax assistance to taxpayers; pursuing and resolving instances of erroneous or fraudulent tax filings; and overseeing various benefits programs. Visit www.IRS.gov to learn more. or HMRC or others. These are similar to the typical Tax or Social Security fraudFraud In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain (money or other assets), or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compensation) or criminal law (e.g., a fraud perpetrator may be prosecuted and imprisoned by governmental authorities), or it may cause no loss of money, property, or legal right but still be an element of another civil or criminal wrong. The purpose of fraud may be monetary gain or other benefits, for example by obtaining a passport, travel document, or driver's license, or mortgage fraud, where the perpetrator may attempt to qualify for a mortgage by way of false statements. A fraud can also be a hoax, which is a distinct concept that involves deliberate deception without the intention of gain or of materially damaging or depriving a victim. calls.

How They Work

How To Spot One Of These Police Impersonation Scam

Police impersonation scammers often use scare tactics to get people to do what they ask. The scammers will try to build up trust by saying they’re from the police or another agency. Sometimes they will tell you that you will be arrested if you don’t go along with what they’re asking you to do. Or they’ll tell you that by doing what they say, you’ll be helping them to catch a criminalCriminal A criminal is any person who through a decision or act engages in a crime. This can be complicated, as many people break laws unknowingly, however, in our context, it is a person who makes a decision to engage in unlawful acts or to place themselves with others who do this. A criminal always has the ability to decide not to break the law, or if they initially engage in crime to stop doing it, but instead continues..

This is what a Police Impersonation Scams could look like:

The scammers might ask for your help with a Police Investigation – these scams can start with someone calling you and pretending to be the police investigating someone at your bank or a fraudulent transaction. They will ask for your help to catch the person involved in this fraud. They might tell you that your account is at risk and that you need to move your money out of your account as soon as possible to a safe “holding” account so that they can catch the fraudsterFraudster A Scammer or Fraudster is someone that engages in deception to obtain money or achieve another objective. They are criminals that attempt to deceive a victim into sending more or performing some other activity that benefits the scammer. in the act. These scammers pretending to be the police might tell you that if you move your money into a safe account they will immediately reverse the transaction and the money will never really leave. They’ll often tell you it is to protect your money.

The scammers might say you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay overdue taxes or fines or penalties – scammers pretending to be from the police might also tell you that you have overdue taxes/fines/penalties owed. They’ll often say that they will arrest you immediately if you don’t pay this amount and provide your bank details or demand that you go to a local store to buy a gift card. The reasons could be many: traffic tickets, failed to show for jury duty, other fines, tax penalties, a judgment from a lawsuit, back taxes, etc. They’ll often use scare tactics like threaten you with immediate arrest or claim they can cancel your passport or driver’s license.

THE REAL POLICE WILL NEVER:

• They will never ask you to transfer money to a new account to help catch a fraudster at your bank, even if they tell you the account is in your name
• They will never call about a fine, penalty, or taxes owed
• If an arrest warrant has been issued in your name they will either come to where you are and arrest you or ask you to come to the police station – always make sure to have an attorney if you go
• They will never ask you for your bank card PIN number or your online banking details, or any personal information
• They will never ask you to send money anywhere, for any reason
• They will never come to your home to collect cash, your PIN, your bank card, or your checkbook
• They will never ask you to buy anything on your card, and then hand it over to them for safekeeping
• They will never threaten you with arrest over the phone for failing to comply with any of the things they have asked you to do
• They will never call you to say they’re going to arrest you because of overdue taxes, fines, or penalties or anything similar
• They will never pressure you into taking action immediately
• They will never tell you that you must make the bank transfer and that your account is at risk – if it was they would resolve this without you ever knowing
• They will also never say that you could lose all your money if you don’t move it immediately – financial institutions are secure and insured – your money is safe in the bank – always
• They will never threaten to cancel your passport or driver’s license – if they are going to do it, they will just do it and you will find out later

If This Happens To You?

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the police for the above reasons, it is a scam. You should hang up immediately and call your local police about this. They can contact the phone provider and trace the call number – it may be in India or elsewhere, but at least they are aware and can begin to take action.

Government agencies do not call to collect money. They will use the mail.

As with all phone calls you receive about anything like this, it is most likely a scam or fraud.

JUST HANG UP

If you have already been scammed call your local police at once!

Always report the phone number on www.Anyscam.com too!

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