Columbia police warn public about scammers impersonating officers over the phone
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Police Department on Friday night warned people on its Facebook page about scammers impersonating officers over the phone.
“The Columbia Police Department has recently been informed of several scam attempts involving individuals posing as officers from our department. These scammers may call, requesting bail money to be paid over the phone or via gift cards,” the post reads. “Please be advised that neither the Columbia Police Department nor any other local law enforcement agency will ever request bail payments over the phone or through gift cards.
“If you receive such a call, we urge you to hang up immediately. If you have any doubts or wish to verify the legitimacy of a call, please contact the Columbia Police Department directly. Stay vigilant and help us prevent these fraudulent activities in our community.”
Several law enforcement agencies in Mid-Missouri have warned the public about similar scams over the past few months, including the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Callaway County Sheriff’s Office and Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. All of those agencies have also said they would never call someone about their warrants or collect money over the phone or online, previous reporting indicates.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recently stopped publishing the names of people involved in crashes and boat/drowning reports after scammers were using information to trick victims into sending money.
