Telephone Scams Around the Area

Recently the DeKalb Police Department has received several complaints regarding Telephone Scams. Scammers will often advise that you are under investigation and legal proceedings may begin without you. In the latest scam, perpetrators are claiming to be an officer with the DeKalb Police Department and have issued a warrant for one’s arrest for failure to appear at jury duty. The scammer then requests cash for bond money or an arrest is imminent. In addition to a cash withdrawal, they may demand payment over the phone, requesting you provide them with your credit card number. The DeKalb Police Department has not issued any arrest warrants for individuals that failed to appear at jury duty and will not request payment over the phone for bond.

If you experience this type of call, do not provide any of your personal identifiers (date of birth, social security number) this includes financial information (credit card numbers, the three digit code on the reverse side of your credit card, bank routing number and other bank account numbers) this is a SCAM. Often times the phone number that appears on your caller ID has been “spoofed” and is routed from somewhere outside the United States.

If you receive a similar call, you can advise the caller you will contact your local police
department to check the validity of the call and document the phone number that called you and hang up the phone. If you have a complaint or feel you were the victim of a scam, contact the DeKalb Police Department at 815-748-8400.