RIDGEFIELD, CT — The Ridgefield Police Department is warning residents about several phone scams currently targeting the community.
One scam involves callers impersonating a family member who claims to have been arrested and requests money for bail.
Another scam informs residents they have missed jury duty and must pay a fine.
Police are urging residents to protect their personal information and never share sensitive details such as Social Security numbers, banking information or passwords unless they are certain who they are dealing with and why the information is needed.
Authorities say fraudsters often impersonate banks, government agencies or tech companies through unsolicited calls, texts or emails.
Police advise residents to verify contact information independently before responding to such communications.
Banking and government institutions will never insist on payment through gift cards or cryptocurrency, according to police.
Fraudsters prefer these payment methods because they are difficult to trace, police said.
Police recommend residents enable two-factor authentication on online accounts, use strong and unique passwords, and monitor financial accounts regularly for unauthorized transactions.
Residents should verify payment details directly with the recipient through a trusted method before transferring money or making purchases, police said.
Suspicious activity should be reported to authorities immediately.
