Scammers Now Pretending to be Missouri Law Enforcement Officers

Missouri law enforcement departments are warning residents of scammers who are pretending to be them and ripping off some to the tune of thousands of dollars.

This warning from the Adair County Missouri Sheriff's Office and Detention Center today sounded the alarm of a new scam that is happening in virtually every county in the state.

In case you can't see the text on their warning, here's what Sheriff Lene had to say:

"It has been brought to my attention that a circulating phone scam involves a caller falsely claiming to be law enforcement (from counties in Missouri) requesting individuals send money to pay for 'outstanding warrants.' Please be advised that law enforcement will NEVER request payment over the phone. Do not provide personal information or make payments over the phone. If you receive a call of this nature, please hang up and report it."

You can count on the fact that a Missouri law enforcement agency will never ask you to pay a fine over the phone. As the sheriff mentions, it's also very important to not give the scammers any of your personal information. A valid Missouri law enforcement officer will almost always contact you in person and immediately provide verifiable identification information. It's yet another attempt by scammers to impersonate Missouri police officers in an attempt to rip you off.