THE FOLLOWING IS A DANVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT RELEASE
There are some miserable individuals and groups who will take advantage of others who are vulnerable to scams. Most are from outside the community, state and country. They will call you with a number of different stories or scenarios to try to sound legitimate and sway you to pay money. They may attempt to make you believe that you have a debt that needs to be paid or you will suffer stiff consequences. They will pose as federal or state agencies and long-lost family members to name a few. They will often draw information from you through social media or other platforms in which personal information may be on display.
The latest scam that is being reported is the caller will identify themselves as local law enforcement officers. They will even provide an actual officer’s name and advise something to the effect of “This is officer______ from the Danville Police Department Warrant Division….”. They will then attempt to make the potential victim fear that they are subject to legal action or arrest if they do not comply with their instructions. If you call the number back it will send you to a voicemail that is set up as “Danville Police Department Warrant Division”. This is a scam. This is not how we or other law enforcement agencies conduct business. Do not provide any personal information or confirm any partial information they may offer.
If you have any suspicious calls, simply, hang up. If they continue to call, you can advise them that you will be contacting your local police or…just hang up. If you have any concerns or are not sure if it is legitimate, you can call your local law enforcement agency and ask for clarification. There are times when different law enforcement associations ask for donations. If you have any questions or suspicions about whether or not they are legit, again, call your local law enforcement agency or the agency they represent for confirmation. Please share this information with friends and family members who you believe could be vulnerable to these scams. Let’s work together on this and protect our community.
Thank you.
Christopher S. Yates
Chief of Police
Danville Police Department
