Scam Alert Advisory

Resume:
Dover-Delaware State Police is providing a Scam Alert Advisory. This is a general alert which covers any part of the State of Delaware.

Delaware State Police had a citizen contact them yesterday concerning a phone call scamming them out of hundreds of dollars. The scam involved a person claiming they were a loved one who is in jail and they were calling a family member to send them money so they could get bailed out. In this case, another person called the victim stating they were a lawyer in order to convince the victim to send money via Western Union.

Tips to Remember and Red Flags:
Never wire money to strangers or someone you have never met in person.

If you receive a phone call from a family member who you haven’t heard from in a long time and they are in need of money, it could be a scam.

Verify the phone call by contacting the family member back through their own phone number or contacting another member of their family.

If you have concerns about the person who may be in jail, contact your local police department, which may be able to verify the validity of the phone call.
Ask the caller to provide all of your relative’s identifying information, such as date of birth and home address. Someone who is posting bail should be able to provide this information.

Before sending any money, look up the phone number of the arresting police agency, and call that agency to verify the arrest.

Many of these scams are difficult to investigate. They will target persons of all age groups. Delaware State Police is asking citizens to remember the tips previously mentioned in order to not become a victim of one of these scam artists.