ORANGEBURG, NY – The Orangetown Police Department has issued a SCAM ALERT – Legitimate Law Enforcement will NEVER ask for payment in the form of gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency

There is a phone scam being used where the caller pretends to be a law enforcement official from a police department requiring payment to resolve a legal issue in the form of gift cards. The caller ID on the call may show the phone number to a legitimate police agency. Be aware with current technology anyone’s phone number can be “Spoofed”. Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.

Four signs that it’s a scam

– Scammers Pretend to be from an organization you know
– Scammers say there’s a problem or a prize
– Scammers Pressure you to act immediately
– Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way

What you can do to avoid a scam

– Block unwanted calls and text messages
– Don’t give your personal or financial information in response to a request that you didn’t expect
– Resist the pressure to act immediately
– Know how scammers tell you to pay
– Stop immediately and talk to someone you trust

You can always call your local police department