Getting a phone call from the police is usually not a good sign. But for Andrea Larson from Wasilla, getting a call from fake police was even worse.
Larson was almost tricked by a common phone scam that preys on people’s fear of legal trouble. While the scam itself is not new, scammers are becoming more sophisticated.
The scammer impersonated an Anchorage Police Department officer and gave Larson a lot of detailed information, making it hard for her to realize it was a scam. It was only when she refused to believe the caller that he gave up and ended the call.
APD Community Relations Specialist Renee Oistad said that Larson’s experience is not uncommon. Scammers are getting better at tricking people, especially with scams involving fake jury duty warrants.
Greg Latreille also had a similar experience with scammers pretending to be APD officers. They almost convinced him to pay $3,000 for warrants he didn’t have.
The scammers are using tactics like calling from private numbers and pretending to transfer calls to supervisors to make their scam seem more legitimate.
It’s important to be cautious and verify any suspicious calls. If you’re unsure, you can use resources like CourtView to check for outstanding warrants.
Alaska Legal Services Corporation has also received reports of scammers pretending to be them. They advise people to avoid giving out personal or financial information over the phone and to always verify the caller’s identity.
In response to the increase in scams, ALSC issued a press release urging people to be cautious and report any suspicious calls.