The Prince George’s County Police Department is issuing a consumer alert following the report of a phone scam that's targeted several county residents.
During these phone calls, the scammer tells the victim that a family member has been hurt in a car accident. The caller then threatens to hold the family member hostage until the victim on the phone wires money to cover damage to the car. The caller also threatens harm to the family member if the victim hangs up.
Similar crimes have been reported in a neighboring jurisdiction and in states across the country.
Prince George's County Police detectives are actively investigating this scam. They are asking the public to immediately notify the PGPD should you become victim to this or a similar phone scam.
Please follow these tips if you suspect you might be victim to a phone scam:
- Never send money
- Never give out any personal information about yourself or your family
- Attempt to contact or account for the family member who is being threatened by the scammer
- Ask probing questions of the caller and gather as much information about them as possible
- Report the call to the police immediately by calling 911
Anyone with information on this investigation is asked to call the CID Robbery Unit at 301-772-4905. Callers can remain anonymous by calling Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). You may also text “PGPD plus your tips” to CRIMES (274637) on your cell phone or go to www.pgpolice.org and submit a tip online. Crime Solvers is offering a cash reward for tips that lead to an arrest and indictment in this case.
No comments:
Post a Comment