Shelton police are warning residents about a phone scammer impersonating a member of their department.
Police said the caller claims to be Detective Richard Bango of the Shelton Police Department, and caller ID is showing the police department phone number of 203-924-1544.
The caller tells the potential victim that there is a warrant for their arrest, or that they need to talk to them about an urgent matter. The caller then demands gift cards, directing the victim to send them to a specific address, and asking for the gift card number and pin over the phone.
A real law enforcement officer will never demand cash or gift cards from the public, police said. They also warned that scammers can rig caller ID to make it appear that they are calling from a police department or another agency. This is called spoofing.
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a police officer, police advice you tell them you will call back, then dial the phone number to the Shelton Police Department to verify.
