Monrovia Police Want You to Beware of Fake Cop Scam

The Monrovia Police Department wants community members to be aware of a phone scam that is currently active in the area. We know scammers are out there, impersonating the authorities and conjuring up different schemes to fool people into giving them money. Impersonators can create a sense of urgent fear, telling you to send money or provide your personal identifying information. The scammers rig the caller ID to look like they are calling from the police department, when in actuality they aren’t. 

Monrovia officers have received reports from community members, who stated that callers contacted them claiming to be members of the police department. The law enforcement impersonator often times:

• Refers to the community member by name.
• Tells the community member they missed a court appearance or jury duty.
• The caller states they need to send money or a warrant will be issued for their arrest.

Sometimes scams such as these will include spoofing a legitimate police agency phone number and using a real name of a law enforcement officer in an attempt to gain the trust of the victim. No government agency of any kind takes gift cards as payment. 

The Monrovia Police Department reminds you to be aware that:

The Monrovia Police Department does not call individuals and demand or request money under any circumstances.

• The Monrovia Police Department or any other legitimate law enforcement agency does not call community members seeking payment for outstanding traffic citations or warrants. This includes claims of unpaid federal or state taxes.
• If you are a resident of Monrovia and fall victim to these scammers with financial loss, you are encouraged to file a report by calling the Monrovia Police Department’s Non-Emergency line at (626) 256-8000.

So what can you do to protect yourself against imposters?

• Don’t trust caller ID – it can be faked. Even if it might look like a real call, don’t trust it.
• Never pay with a gift card or wire transfer. If someone tells you to pay this way, it’s a scam.
• Check with the real agency. Look up their number. Call them to find out if they’re trying to reach you – and why.
• Never give personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller or email.

Source: Monrovia Police Department press release

- Brad Haugaard