Some residents of Greene and Columbia counties have been getting phone calls in which the caller is claiming to be a state trooper, said Steven Nevel, public information officer for state police Troop F, said Friday.
State police are warning the public about the phone scam, which appears to be centered around Ulster County, Nevel said.
During the phone calls, the caller claims to be a member of the state police and that charges are pending against the person who answers the phone. The scammers then request money or bank information from them.
“Neither the state police, nor any agency authorized by it, will ever solicit for money or ask for personal information over the phone,” Nevel said.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James investigates illegal and questionable telemarketing operations in New York, Nevel said.
Anyone who receives a solicitation by telephone, mail, email, or in person from someone seeking money and who purports to be a representative or employee of the state police or suggests an affiliation with the state police is advised to get as many details as possible about the caller and to report the call to the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau or the nearest Attorney General’s Office, Nevel said.
State police offered tips on how to recognize a possible scam caller.
People should be wary of solicitors who do not provide an address or phone number, demand immediate payment or payment in cash, seem vague as to how contributions will be spent, refuse to provide financial information about a charitable organization, appear angry or impatient when asked reasonable questions about the organization they represent or the programs for which contributions will be used.