Scammers ‘spoofing’ Department phone number

May 3, 2013 — The Salt Lake City Police Department is warning the community about a telephone scam in which the caller represents themselves as a member of local law enforcement.

Thursday morning, the Police Department began receiving calls from the public who had dialed a return phone number from an unidentified caller threatening arrest if money was not sent to them. While the phone number they called was an out-of-state area code, it connected them with SLCPD’s Records Division. This is a practice known as “spoofing” in which calls are routed to a phone number other than what is displayed.

Law enforcement will not call members of the public demanding money for any reason. The payment of warrants is handled through the courts system and not through local police agencies.

The Police Department reminds the public that they should never provide any credit/debit card numbers, wire transfer reference numbers, or MoneyPak card numbers over the phone to anyone with whom they did not initiate contact or whose identity they are unable to verify – even those claiming to be distant family members in distress and requesting money.

If receiving any such call, the public is advised to simply hang up. Furthermore, anyone with questions about outstanding warrants may check an online database at:

https://secure.utah.gov/warrants/index.html;jsessionid=c28ae3b1717df5fdaae201158517

Contact: Reporters seeking comment should contact the Public Information Officer at 801.799.NEWS (6397).

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