Maryland State Police are urging Marylanders to be cautious of a phone scam circulating in which impersonators pretend to be law enforcement officers in order to steal personal information.

Police are receiving reports from citizens about scammers who are fraudulently identifying themselves as police officers or troopers to gain financial information or money from residents. The impersonators tell the potential victims that they need to obtain the information from the caller due to a police investigation, or they are asking for a donation to support law enforcement and their families.

In some instances, the impersonator uses a real name of a law enforcement officer in an attempt to gain the trust of the victim. The Maryland State Police do not call or text individuals and request money from anyone under any circumstances.

Some tips to remember:

• Never provide any personal identifying information over the phone unless you have verified the source.
• Never provide any payment information over the phone unless you have verified the source.
• Police will never call and request money for fines, arrest warrants, fundraisers, etc…
• If you do not trust the source and want to verify, look up the unit/group/barrack they said they are from on the internet, and call the listed number directly.
• If you believe you have provided information to a scam, please immediately notify your financial institutions.

Those who believe they have been the victim of a scam are encouraged to contact their local police department or the Maryland State Police barrack that serves your area. If you believe you have fallen victim to any type of online crime, file a complaint at ic3.gov.