BELLEFONTE, PA — The Bellefonte Borough Police Department is warning residents about a caller ID spoofing scam targeting the community.
Police said scammers are masking their phone numbers to make it appear the official police department number is calling residents.
The caller identifies themselves as an officer or court official and claims there is an active warrant for the recipient’s arrest, often citing missed jury duty or an unpaid fine, according to police.
The scammer then demands immediate payment over the phone using gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers to avoid jail time, police said.
Police said the department does not take payments over the phone and will never call to demand immediate payment to clear a warrant.
Legal notifications regarding warrants or fines are handled through official mail or in-person service, according to police.
Police are advising residents to hang up and not provide any personal information, bank details or credit card numbers.
Anyone concerned about a legitimate legal matter should hang up and call the police non-emergency line directly or contact the Magisterial District Judge’s office, police said.
