The Tiverton Police Department is investigating multiple incidents in which victims receive phone calls from subjects posing as police officers and are advised they are wanted and/or owe money. The victims are being told that if they do not send money they will be arrested. The caller ID for some of these calls says “Tiverton Police Department” but has a 216 area code. As a reminder, the Tiverton Police Department will never request payment for fines, traffic tickets, or other criminal matters. All these transactions are conducted by the respective court systems and never over the phone. Electronic payments are also never requested via phone for court matters.
The following tips can help you avoid becoming a victim of a spoofing scam:
- Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you do so by accident, hang up.
- If a caller (live or recorded) suggests hitting a button to stop receiving calls from them, hang up. This can be a trick to engage you in conversation.
- Never give out any sensitive data – for example, account numbers, Social Security Numbers, passwords or PINs, or your mother’s maiden name.
- If a caller claims to be with a law enforcement agency, call back using a verified phone number (not 911), or on their verified, secure website. This is particularly important if the caller asks you to verify personal information or make a payment.
- If you are immediately pressured for information – be cautious. You are not obligated to answer any question asked of you.
- Use a call-blocking tool (talk to your phone company) or reputable app on your mobile device. There are different options for different platforms. Do some research and choose the one that makes the most sense for you.