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The scammers inform their intended victims that a relative has been in a car accident, has been kidnapped or has been arrested, according to police.
The scammers then say that in order to free the relative or to provide medical treatment for the relative, the family member needs to purchase Green Dot cards and provide the caller with the numbers on the back of the cards, police said.
One Stamford resident was even contacted from someone impersonating the Stamford police; the scammer told the intended victim that a family member had an arrest warrant, threatening arrest if payment via Green Dot cards was not made immediately, police said.
Stamford police are alerting the public that all such calls are scams.
When members of the Stamford police contact citizens, they identify themselves immediately, and will never ask anyone to purchase Green Dot cards or MoneyGram money orders, police said.
No government agency will ask a member of the public to pay a fine instead of being arrested, nor will they demand nontraditional forms of payment.
For questions on scams, contact Sgt. Steven J. Perrotta, the Stamford Police Department’s financial crimes supervisor, at 203-977-5828 or 203-977-4455.
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