(WWJ) Scam artists posing as police are stealing from unsuspecting Macomb County residents.
Shelby Township police say they have been getting a number of calls about a new round of Imposter scam artists attempting to separate the citizens of the township and the surrounding area from their hard earned money.
Police say these fraudsters are calling people, falsely identifying themselves as Shelby Twp. police officers, and asking for money -- either for donations to the department or for court costs and fines.
With this in mind, the Shelby Township Police Department wants the public to know that police officers themselves, as well as the local Fraternal Order of Police, do not fundraise over the phone.
"Additionally, we don't accept payment for court costs over the phone, and you can be sure anytime someone is demanding payment via gift card or iTunes card, it is a scam," police added, in an alert sent out on Tuesday.
Officer Leslie Heisler says it's unclear just how many people have fallen for the scam.
"You know people here, especially in Shelby, we have so much support from our community," Heisler told WWJ's Sandra McNeill. "They hear the police are asking for help, and they wanna help. So there probably are a number of people who have given money who now go, 'Oh, darn. I didn't know.'"
Fraud.org via Shelby Twp. Police
If you get one of these calls, you are urged to hang up and report the call to the Federal Trade Commission HERE. You can also find great information about other imposter scams at www.fraud.org.
