Beware of phone scams impersonating Miami Police Officers targeting South Floridians

MIAMI, Fla. — In a concerning development reported in South Florida, scammers have been resorting to impersonating police officers over the phone to defraud unsuspecting victims, specifically in the Miami area.

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Over the past six months to a year, there has been an increasing number of incidents where these scammers have taken advantage of people’s trust in law enforcement to con them out of money.

The authorities have issued a stern warning to all residents of South Florida to remain vigilant and educate their friends and family about the modus operandi of these criminals. The scammers have been acquiring police officers’ last names through social media and other sources, using this information to gain the trust of their targets.

The Orange Park Police Department released a statement on Facebook condemning the actions.

“To anyone who has South Floridian friends and family, please pass the word. Over the last 6 months to a year, people grabbing our officers’ last names from social media or other places have impersonated our officers (over the phone) in efforts to scam people out of money - specifically the Miami area,” a police spokesperson stated.

If residents receive such calls and doubt their legitimacy, they are advised to hang up immediately and independently verify the authenticity of the call.

“Call the actual business or agency (don’t call the number back which called you, give it a Google and find the actual number),” the spokesperson added, urging residents to refrain from redialing the number that contacted them initially, as it might lead them back to the scammers.

It has been observed that these unscrupulous individuals often target older victims, who might be more susceptible to such scams due to their unfamiliarity with modern communication technologies and tactics.

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