Mansfield Police Warn Of Phone Scam Hitting Town

MANSFIELD, MA — Police are warning residents about fake calls from people claiming to be a collector for the electric department.

Last weekend, the department took multiple calls concerning the fake collectors. Police say the "collectors" have cloned numbers with a Mansfield exchange and will tell the person on the line that they owe $500 and it can be paid via gift cards purchased at CVS.

"This is a SCAM. We're sure MELD would be happy to hear from you on Monday to make sure your bill is up to date, but they aren't turning off anyone's power today," Mansfield police wrote on Facebook. "Remember, no legitimate government agency will accept gift cards as payment."

Image via Mansfield Police Department