Police Caution Marylanders About New Phone Scam

State police are warning Marylanders to be vigilant amid an ongoing phone scam in which impersonators pretend to be law enforcement officers to steal personal information.

According to Maryland State Police, the agency is receiving reports of scammers identifying themselves as police officers or troopers to obtain financial information or money from residents.

Police said the scammers tell potential victims they need the information for a police investigation. They also ask for a donation to support law enforcement and their families.

In some instances, police said the impersonator uses the real name of a law enforcement officer to gain the victim's trust.

"The Maryland State Police do not call or text individuals and request money from anyone under any circumstances," the agency said in a statement.

Police offered the following tips to help Marylanders protect themselves from scammers:

• Never provide any personal identifying information over the phone unless you have verified the source.
• Never provide any payment information over the phone unless you have verified the source.
• Police will never call and request money for fines, arrest warrants, fundraisers, etc.
• If you do not trust the source and want to verify, look up the unit/group/barrack they said they're from and call the listed number directly.
• If you believe you have provided information to a scam, please immediately notify your financial institutions.

Anyone who believes they've been the victim of a scam is encouraged to contact their local police department or the Maryland State Police barrack in their area. If you believe you have fallen victim to any online crime, file a complaint at ic3.gov.