The Clarkesville Police Department is warning residents against a phone scam currently being run in the area. According to the agency, scammers are calling people pretending to be from the Clarkesville Police Department. The caller states they need to send money for past due fines; otherwise, a warrant will be issued for their arrest.
“Sometimes scams such as these use a real name of a law enforcement officer in an attempt to gain the trust of the victim,” a notice from CPD states. “No government agency of any kind takes gift cards as payment.”
If scammers target you, don’t fall for it. The Clarkesville Police Department points out it will not:
- Call individuals and demand money from community members under any circumstances.
- Call community members seeking payment for outstanding traffic citations or warrants. This includes claims of unpaid federal or state taxes.
- Attempt to collect debts or instill fear in potential victims to persuade them to forward money.
To avoid becoming a victim of this, or any scam:
- Never give personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller or email.
- Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payment for any reason.
- Stay private. Regularly update privacy settings for social media sites. Scammers often make their stories more believable by trolling for personal information on Facebook, Twitter, and similar sites.
- Be aware the utility companies and government agencies will never contact you for payment by GreenDot, MoneyPak or Vanilla Reload, or any other prepaid card.
- Remember that anyone who has the number on a prepaid card has access to the funds on your card.
- Never wire money or provide debit or credit card numbers to a stranger.
If you receive a call similar to this scam, do not provide personal or banking information. Simply hang up and contact your local law enforcement agency directly.
