Missouri Troopers Warn of Imposters Claiming to Be Them

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has issued a stern warning about villains who are trying to rip you off while pretending to be them and it's already cost many in the state thousands of dollars.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says there are many with bad intentions that are representing themselves as being associated with state law enforcement, but (spoiler alert) they're not. The message comes directly from the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control division. Here's how this scam works:

• Criminals will use social media messaging to contact residents using Missouri State Highway Patrol name and imaging
• Villains build trust with those they contact over a period of time to make themselves appear legitimate
• Eventually, they will tell the resident that they've sent a package to their address, but will also send a notice through the WhatsApp saying "the expected package/parcel was “seized for inspection” by the “VIP Delivery Transit Program”"
• The thieves will then direct the resident to pay a "processing fee" with gift cards

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said "the Patrol will never solicit funds, demand fines, or request payment for any services provided". They added that the Missouri State Highway Patrol "will not utilize email, social media, or chat platforms to contact/converse with individuals".