Durham officials warn public about scam involving callers posing as police

The Durham Police Department issued a warning Saturday night about scammers posing as DPD officers.

According to Durham police spokesman Wil Glenn, police have received reports about such scammers. Typically the criminals involved in the fraud schemes try to convince potential victims that they have warrants or unpaid fines, and ask them to send money to an account, Glenn said.

The criminals are calling from a phone number with a “560” prefix and there have been reports that that caller IDs made it appear that calls were coming from the Durham Police Department.

The DPD never calls anyone to demand payment, and is not involved in collection to avoid arrest, Glenn said.

Anyone who receives a call from someone posing as a DPD officer and requesting personal information or demanding payment is best advised to simply hang up. Under no circumstances should they transfer any funds or provide any personal information.

Residents with information that could lead to an arrest should contact the Durham Police Department’s Fraud Unit at (919) 560-4440.

This story was originally published January 7, 2018 at 12:36 AM with the headline "Durham officials warn public about scam involving callers posing as police."