Scammers Impersonating Mercer Law Enforcement In Latest Phone Fraud: Prosecutor

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — A Large number of Mercer County residents are being scammed by spoof telephone calls, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri said Wednesday.

The County’s Cyber Crimes Unit is investigating this recent telephone scam where callers spoof the non-emergency telephone numbers for various police departments within Mercer County in an attempt to scam residents.

The scammers falsely claim that the resident has a warrant for their arrest, Onofri said. They research potential victims on the internet and social media and call and deceive them into thinking the callers are law enforcement officers, prosecutors or police employees, Onofri said.

Scammers often spoof a law enforcement telephone number, falsely showing on the victim’s caller ID. They threaten victims with arrest for outstanding warrants or other legal issues.

Onofri has reminded residents that law enforcement will never ask for payment over the phone nor will they ask for personal identifying information. Law enforcement and government agencies will also never ask you to pay by unusual methods, like gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency, Onofri said.

Residents who receive a call from a police department within Mercer County or the Prosecutor’s Office should first confirm who they are speaking with.

If they believe the call is a scam, hang up and call the number back. If the call is legitimate, they will be connected with a police dispatcher or receptionist who can verify the caller’s identity.

Any scam calls should be reported to the local law enforcement agency.

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