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UPPER PENINSULA -- Residents are being warned about a recent phone scam involving individuals posing as Michigan State Police personnel.
Reports indicate scammers are calling people and falsely claiming the recipient missed a court date or committed a violation. The caller then demands immediate payment to avoid arrest.
The callers use this tactic to create a sense of urgency and panic, attempting to pressure individuals to provide money or personal information, MSP advised in a news release, adding "State Police want to make it clear that this is a scam."
MSP will never call individuals to request sensitive personal information or ask for financial payments to be made directly to personnel, according to the news release. Other signs of a scam include a caller or message asking for payment by prepaid gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, cash in the mail or a mobile payment app.
When necessary, MSP will make in-person contact with individuals for official matters, including investigations or other law enforcement duties, MSP advised.
Residents are urged not to share any sensitive information, addresses, information about family or friends, Social Security numbers, or banking details over the phone with unknown callers.
Those who receive a suspicious call, email, or text should hang up immediately if it's a call and do not engage with the caller. Don't click links or open attachments, don't download files or respond to the message, block the caller or sender, report it as spam and delete it from the device.