Maryland State Police Warn Of Phone Scam By Police Impersonators

(PIKESVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Police continue to warn the public of a phone scam in which impersonators pretend to be police officers in order to steal personal information.

Police are receiving reports from citizens about scammers who are fraudulently identifying themselves using the names of real Maryland State troopers or claiming to work for the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office. Sometimes the caller IDs displayed in these cases look like legitimate telephone numbers from the Maryland State Police or the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office.

If you receive a suspicious call, ask the caller’s name, rank, badge number and work assignment. Hang up without providing any personal information, then verify their identity by contacting a Maryland State Police barrack or the local police department they claimed to represent.

• Maryland State Police will never request money or financial information over the phone.
• Never provide any personal information such as bank account information, social security number or anything else over the telephone unless you have verified the source.
• If you believe you have provided information to a scam, please immediately notify your financial institutions.

Following contact with your police department, complaints should also be filed through the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Stay vigilant against scam calls.

###

CONTACT: Office of Media Communications, msp.media@maryland.gov