NEWPORT — Newport Police are warning residents about a phone scam after someone impersonated a police officer to solicit donations.
Chief Travis Bingham said police were recently informed that a resident received a call from someone identifying themselves as a Newport officer. The department does not directly solicit donations.
“In this case, the resident knew the officer whose name was used and quickly realized the call was a scam,” Bingham said.
Scammers use various techniques to collect money illegally, including “spoofing” caller identification to make calls appear to involve official town business, according to police.
“Scammers will target vulnerable populations such as our seniors and ask them to withdraw large sums of cash or purchase large amounts of gift cards,” Bingham said. “We encourage anyone who is approached for money by someone they don’t know to call us at (802) 334-6733 as soon as possible.”
The Newport Police Department recommends residents exercise caution with any monetary transactions over the telephone or online without complete assurance they are conducting legitimate transactions. The department also recommends diligent oversight of financial records through banking and financial institutions.
Police offer the following tips to avoid scams:
Do not give credit card information to someone calling over the phone. Do not give in to pressure to make immediate decisions. When in doubt, do not give out information and report anyone claiming to be a government worker to local police.
Monitor incoming calls and avoid answering unknown numbers or random calls. If a call is important, the caller will leave a message. If you answer and learn it is a scam call, do not engage and hang up immediately.
