USA: Boston Crime Alert – Scam Involving Impersonation of Police Officers Demanding Money

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Key Points:

  • Across the U.S., scams involving individuals posing as police officers or government officials demanding payment for non-existent violations have been reported.
  • This alert provides details of a specific incident involving a Japanese resident in Boston and offers advice to prevent similar scams.

Incident Summary:

  • In mid-May, a Japanese resident in Boston received a phone call from someone claiming to be a bank employee, who then transferred the call to someone posing as a police officer. The caller claimed that the resident’s bank account was involved in international fraud and that an arrest warrant had been issued. The caller demanded immediate payment of a fine to avoid arrest.
  • Despite initially refusing to make the payment, the resident was repeatedly contacted by the scammers. The phone number displayed appeared to be from a real police station, and the scammers sent images of what seemed to be a police badge. They also had personal information such as the resident’s name, passport number, and address, which led the resident to believe the scam was legitimate.
  • The scammers threatened to arrest acquaintances and family members if they were consulted, and demanded continuous Zoom calls to monitor the resident. Eventually, the resident deposited $20,000 into the scammers’ designated account.

Prevention Tips:

  • Police officers will never demand payment over the phone to avoid arrest. Scammers often spoof phone numbers to appear as if they are calling from a legitimate police department.
  • If you are told that you are involved in a crime or are asked to pay cash to avoid arrest, suspect a scam. Do not transfer money. Instead, report the incident to the police immediately.
  • For more information on how to handle such scams, refer to the Boston Police Department and Federal Trade Commission websites:
  • Boston Police Department: BPD Community Alert
  • Federal Trade Commission: FTC Scam Guidance

Categories
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Foreign crime victimsUnited States of AmericaFraud & ExtortionNorth America
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