BATH, ME — Police are warning residents about scammers posing as law enforcement officers to steal money.
The Bath Police Department said it and area agencies have seen recent scam attempts, some successful, in which people were duped into sending money via bitcoin or gift cards.
The scam starts with a phone call from someone claiming to be a local police officer who tells the victim they have a warrant for their arrest and must immediately pay bail money through different methods.
Police said payments for bail are made to bail commissioners or the court, never by gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Authorities advise anyone who receives a call from someone claiming to be an officer to take down their information, hang up, then call the official listed phone number for the police department to verify the call is legitimate.
Police said scammers try to get victims to panic and make quick decisions based on emotion, not logic.
They use tactics to control decisions and scare people into action, and can be very convincing, according to police.
Authorities said anyone who has fallen for a scam should contact local law enforcement immediately to make a report.
Police said the quicker they find out about a scam, the better the chances are of solving the crime and recovering assets.
