It’s the holiday season, and thieves are looking for quick cash as they try to take advantage of those who are vulnerable during this time of the year.
In response to the increase in scams, the Plano Police Department is warning North Texans about a new type of scam that involves spoofing their police chief’s phone number and the department’s non-emergency line with either number showing up on caller IDs.
The police department shares that these scammers are asking victims for their names and informing them that the call is being recorded.
The scammer then claims the person they are calling has an outstanding debt or missed court date, and demands quick payment to avoid a warrant being issued for their arrest.
Plano police have had several victims come forward, including one who reported sending $9,500 in Bitcoin to the scammers.
The department shared that residents should know the department would never make calls like these.
"There's never going to be a time where we're going to say, 'We need to do this right now, on the phone, do not hang up," said James Babb, a sergeant with Plano police's crime prevention unit. "That's a big clue, is if they won't let you off the call."