SOUTHINGTON, CT — The Southington Police Department is warning residents about a phone scam after a local woman was persuaded to withdraw and transfer $14,000 under the false claim of a missed federal court date.
Police said the resident received a call from an unknown number from someone claiming to represent the Hartford Police Department.
The caller told her she had missed a court appearance tied to a federal warrant and needed to act immediately.
According to police, the caller instructed the woman to tell her employer she had an emergency and go home, which she did.
She was then directed to withdraw $14,000 from her bank account “to alleviate the missed court date.”
After obtaining the money, the resident was told to travel to Springfield, Mass., and deposit the funds into a Bitcoin account at a gas station, police said.
Police issued the alert for community awareness and emphasized that law enforcement agencies do not request money to resolve warrants.
“A member of a police department will not request a financial transaction due to a pending arrest warrant,” the department said.
Police are urging residents to be cautious of unsolicited calls involving urgent legal claims and to verify any such requests directly with official agencies before taking action.
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