A ‘Spoofing’ Scammer Is Pretending To Be A NH State Trooper

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire State Police are warning the public about a scammer attempting to solicit bail money by pretending to be a state police trooper. NHSP learned about the scam attempt today when a resident of Amesbury, MA, reported that on Friday, they were called from what looked like an official state police phone number asking to post bail money for a relative who is no longer alive, according to Lt. Michael Kokoski of Troop C in Keene.

The scamming process is called “spoofing.” The scammer alters their caller ID to display another number. In this specific scam attempt, it was a legitimate Troop C number.

“During the phone exchange, the caller identified himself as ‘Trooper Connors’,” according to Kokoski. “He then explained that he had one of the victim’s relatives under arrest and solicited the victim for bail money. The victim became suspicious due to the fact that the relative in question was deceased.”

The victim reported the incident to local police and the NHSP. No such trooper exists in New Hampshire, he added.

Kokoski said calls such as this were not legitimate and perpetuated to defraud people of money. NHSP troopers, he noted, sometimes contact the public, but personnel will properly identify themselves and never solicit money for any purpose.

The investigation of this incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. William Dilegge at Troop C by calling 603-223-8494.