The scammer, pretending to be a police officer, “tells people that a package containing drugs has been intercepted, a warrant for their arrest has been issued, and they may be victims of identity theft,” a press release from the department says. The scammers will then ask for financial information to “fix” the matter (1).
The release notes that Geneva police received 11 reports of these scam calls in a single day in early January.
Here’s what you need to know about impersonation scams, and how you can avoid falling victim yourself, as well as ensuring your loved ones are not taken in by scam artists.
Be on alert for phone scams
The police warned the community that they will never make unsolicited phone calls asking for financial information. “Geneva Police officers also do not threaten people to gain cooperation during an investigation. These calls are a scam, and residents should not provide any confidential information,” the release said (1).
The FBI’s Internet Crime Report for 2024 says reported losses to fraud hit a record $16.6 billion that year, climbing from $12.5 billion in 2023 (2). Government impersonation scams saw Americans lose a reported $405,624,084 in 2024, and phishing/spoofing scams cost Americans $70,013,036.
In a consumer alert, the FTC details other common tactics scammers use when they make calls impersonating local law enforcement. Scammers may say they’ve confiscated a package containing drugs, like the calls to Geneva residents, or they may say the package contains money or illegal weapons (3).
They may also tell you that you have to pay a fine to avoid being arrested, and direct you to send cash or deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM, buy giftcards, or use a payment app. Even if these scammers use a real officer’s name, have information about you such as your address, or, like the calls in Geneva, the number on the caller ID appears real, the FTC warns that the police will never call to say you’re going to be arrested or threaten that you’ll be arrested if you hang up. Real officers will never insist you pay fines using the payment methods listed above, and won’t coerce you to buy your way out of a supposed criminal matter.
If you receive such a call, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (4).
Protect your loved ones
With the proliferation of phone scams that target older adults, it is increasingly important to warn your friends and family that any phone call they receive that they’re not expecting should be approached with caution. Discussing tactics that scammers use with your loved ones, especially older adults who may not be as familiar with technology, can go a long way in protecting them from fraudsters. Explain to loved ones who might not be aware how spoof calls work that just because a name or phone number appears on your caller ID, it doesn’t mean that it’s legitimate.
