BARBERTON, Ohio — The Barberton Police Department is warning Barberton citizens about arrest warrant scams that have been targeting the city recently.
According to department officials, scammers identify themselves as a member of local law enforcement using the real names of detectives and officer. They will demand payment in the form of gift cards in order to not be arrested.
“The Barberton Police Department will never call you to inform you about a warrant and demand payment of any kind. If you have a real warrant, we won’t call you on the phone; we will knock on your door. And we certainly don’t demand money, gift cards, money transfers, or cryptocurrency,” says Detective Bureau Lieutenant Bob Lynn.
When called, the scammer's number may even come up as "Barberton Police" on caller ID.
“Obviously, law enforcement does not ever contact you by phone and demand some form of payment. If we have a warrant for you, we are not going to demand payment from you. We’re going to knock on your door and arrest you and bring you to our jail” said Detective Bureau Sgt. Ben Knorr.
The Barberton Police Department have put together a list to help those targeted by scams identify a scam before they are taken advantage of. The list is seen below.
- Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers manipulate caller ID to look like the call is coming from an official government number. Look up the agency’s number yourself, if you’re concerned, and give them a call. But don’t use the number in caller ID.
- Government agencies won’t call, text, or email you out of the blue to demand payment right away.
- Nobody legit will ever tell you to pay with gift cards, money transfers, or cryptocurrency.
- Never share personal information with anyone who contacts you. If you’re worried, look up the government agency’s information yourself to check with them.
Here are some of the ways that con artists work:
- The scammer says you’ve won a sweepstakes or lottery but you must send money to collect.
- The scammer says your assets are frozen until you pay a fake debt, fine, or lien.
- The scammer says he’ll help you recover money you already lost in a scam.
- The scammer says she’s collecting back taxes or immigration fees.
- The scammer threatens to fine you, put you in prison, or take your property unless you pay.
- The scammer says they’re protecting you from being scammed.
- The scammer tells you to take money out of your bank account, tell you to wire money, get a gift card, or buy cryptocurrency.
- The scammer demands secrecy, tells you to act right away, and says you’re about to lose money.
If a scammer contacts you, your report can help stop them. Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Share as much information as you can, including:
- The date and time of the call
- The person and agency name the scammer used
- What they wanted you to do, pay, or share, including amounts
- The phone number that showed up on your caller ID. Even a fake number can help law enforcement track the scammer.