The Vero Beach Police Department is warning residents about a scam in which callers pose as local law enforcement officers and pressure people to send money.
In a public alert, the department said scammers are faking caller ID to make it appear calls are coming from a police agency. The callers claim to be a sheriff or deputy and tell victims they have missed a court date, failed to respond to a subpoena or have an active arrest warrant.
To avoid being arrested, the imposters instruct people to send cash, deposit money at a Bitcoin ATM, buy gift cards and share the numbers, or transfer funds through payment apps such as Zelle, Cash App or Venmo.
The department said the calls are fraudulent even when the person uses the name of a real officer, displays a number that looks legitimate on caller ID, or seems to have personal information such as an address.
According to the warning, real law enforcement officers do not call to threaten arrest, nor do they demand payment of fines through cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, payment apps or wire transfers — especially not as a way to “buy” one’s way out of a crime.
Police advise anyone who receives a call like this to hang up and not return the call. Residents who want to verify a concern should contact their local police department using a phone number or website they know is legitimate.