Scammers Pretending To Be Toms River Police, Officials Warn

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Toms River police are warning residents to ignore calls from scammers claiming to be from the police department on Tuesday, after receiving a number of calls reporting the scam attempts.

"Our dispatchers have received multiple calls from residents who are getting phone calls from scammers who state they are from the Toms River Police Department, that there is an emergency with a family member, and they need to provide money quickly," police said in a post on the department's Facebook page.

Toms River police will never ask for money over the phone, the post said, no matter how convincing the caller sounds.

"These scammers will do all they can to keep you on the phone and engaged," the post said. "They can be very convincing."

Here are steps you can take:

• If you get a call from a number you do not know, don't answer it. Let them leave a message on your voicemail.
• If the call appears to be from law enforcement or from a company you do business with, hang up, and call the department or the company back at a number you have for them. Scammers have been known to mimic numbers through Caller ID so they appear to be coming from a legitimate source.
• Do not ever agree to buy gift cards or money orders based on pressure from a caller to "pay for" something immediately. Hang up the phone, and if you are concerned, call the company directly to make sure your account is in order.