There's been a recent surge in phone scams where people are impersonating law enforcement officers, according to the Sparks Police Department.
Similar to many other phone scams, the scammers are attempting to steal money from people by using fear and claims that are totally false.
In these particular scams, the scammer poses as a law enforcement official and claims that the victim is required to pay for some kind of legal obligation, like a failure to appear for jury duty or a warrant out for their arrest.
The scammer will then put high pressure on the victim to make an immediate payment under the threat of arrest.
Officials say that in some cases, the scammers can manipulate caller ID to make the call appear as though it is coming from a legitimate law enforcement agency or 911.
Sparks Police urges residents to be cautious, and want to remind the public that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never call to request personal or financial information, nor will they ever demand payment over the phone.
If you wind up on a suspicious call where someone is asking for your financial information or threatening any kind of legal action over the phone, officers say to hang up immediately and do not share any personal information.
Following that, call the agency the caller claimed to be from to confirm any information given to you in the scam call.
For any questions, contact Sparks Police non-emergency dispatch at (775) 353-2231.
