WASHINGTON — D.C. police are warning residents to be wary of callers posing as D.C. officials demanding money.
D.C. police on Thursday said the scammers are calling people and threatening arrest or prosecution if money is not paid immediately. The fraudsters, often based overseas, are altering caller IDs to make it seem that the call is coming from a legitimate law enforcement phone number with a local area code.
“Many times the scammers choose a 202 area code to add legitimacy to their scam, due to the Metropolitan Police Department, Treasury Department, and other federal agencies being headquartered in Washington, D.C.,” police said in a news release.
If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be with D.C. police or another law enforcement agency and requesting money, hang up immediately, D.C. police said. You should not give the caller any of your personal information, police added.
If scammers have targeted you, fill out an online report on the U.S. Department of the Treasury website. Also, contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their “FTC Complaint Assistant.”
