PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

June 28, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact Information: PolicePRUnit@slcgov.com

Media Request Form: https://police.slc.gov/mediarequest/

SLCPD Warns of Scam Phone Calls Seeking Donations

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Police Department is warning community members about a scam phone call seeking donations for SLCPD.

Recently, the Salt Lake City Police Department received a phone call from a community member asking for an address to send a donation check to SLCPD. The victim explained she received a phone call from someone seeking donations for the Salt Lake City Police Department and provided an address for the victim to send a check to.

The victim did not get the complete address and called Salt Lake City Police to ask for additional information on where to send the donation. The officer who received the call identified the donation request as a scam. Thankfully, this scam was identified before the victim sent any money to the scammer.

The Salt Lake City Police Department reminds community members that it does not call individuals and request or demand money under any circumstance.

In the past, similar scams have used the identity of actual SLCPD employees in an attempt to make their scam seem more legitimate.

To avoid becoming the victim of a scam, community members should:

●       Remember, the Salt Lake City Police Department never calls community members to ask for money or donations or to ask that a person pay the SLCPD for bail.

●       Never give out personal or financial information.

●       Be wary of any person cold-calling and asking you for a sudden payment of any type, including gift cards, crypto currency, and wire transfers, including Venmo, Apple Pay and other similar forms of payment transfers.

●       Avoid posting personal information on social media, which can be a goldmine of information for scammers.

●       If you ever have questions about a call or message received from someone claiming to be an SLCPD employee, hang up and call 801-799-3000 and advise the dispatcher about the incident.

If community members receive suspicious calls, they are urged to stop the conversation immediately, hang up and report the call by calling the Salt Lake City Police Department at 801-799-3000.

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