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Police have received several reports from residents saying they had been contacted over the phone by someone claiming to be with the police department.
The caller will say that the person has to pay money to clear a warrant or pay a bond or they will face arrest, Darien police said. In many of these cases, police said the caller is able to mask their number so that the recipient's caller ID will say that the call is coming from the Darien Police Department or another local number. The callers have even used the names of actual Darien officers, police said.
After warning about an impending arrest, the caller will often tell the victim go to a convenience store or pharmacy and purchase a prepaid debit card such as a GreenDot MoneyPak card and read the PIN numbers on the back of the card, police said. This is the equivalent of wiring money or sending cash, police said. It is untraceable and the victim cannot get the money back.
Officials are warning residents that the Darien Police Department does not collect money or financial information over the phone for any reason. If you receive a call from somebody claiming to be with Darien police, law enforcement or any government agency and they ask for money, do not give out personal information or send any money, police said.
It's best to simply hang up, police said.
Police are urging residents who receive these calls and have sent money or provided information to contact the Darien Police Department at 203-662-5300. If you simply want to fill out a complaint to help law enforcement track these types of scams, you can do so at the Federal Trade Commission's website.
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