(WWJ) – Phone scammers are updating their tactics to make their scams more believable, according to Michigan State Police.
MSP says there’s been a “significant uptick” in phone scams across Michigan in recent months, with many scammers targeting the elderly and often posing as police officers.
Detective Sgt. Barkley with the MSP Jackson Post says while phone scams have been around a long time, the scammers are getting smarter and changing with the times.
Barkley offered some tips for people to avoid being scammed:
• A legitimate law enforcement officer will never ask you to give credit card information over the phone.
• They will never ask you to provide payment in the form of gift cards.
• They will never ask you to provide payment in the form of crypto currency, such as Bitcoin.
Barkley says a common story scammers use is telling the victim they have a warrant out for their arrest and need to pay some sort of money or bond to resolve the issue.
Other frequently used schemes include posing as the victim’s child or grandchild and saying they are in trouble, or that the victim’s vehicle has been used in a traffic crash and they’re required to pay money to resolve the issue.
“If this sounds like a parent or grandparent that you think might be susceptible to this, have a conversation with them, make them aware of these issues,” Barkley said.
If it happens to you, Barkley says you should call 911 or your local law enforcement agency.
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