7 November, 2014
Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian warns public of ongoing arrest scams Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian warned the public today about a new wave of scam calls in which perpetrators pose as law enforcement, threatening victims with arrest for failure to pay fictional debts.
“We and our law enforcement colleagues in Acton, Lexington and Cambridge have been notified in recent days about numerous instances in which callers are fraudulently identifying themselves as members of those departments, the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office or the IRS, and are threatening victims with arrest for failure to pay fictional debts,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “In some instances the callers are managing to spoof the telephone numbers of my office or other law enforcement agencies making it appear as if the calls are coming from these departments.”
In many of these cases - and in similar cases reported across the region in the last year - callers attempt to get victims to purchase MoneyPak or GreenDot cards from pharmacies or grocery stores in order to pay the fictional debt. They indicate failure to do so will result in immediate arrest.
“No legitimate law enforcement agency will ever threaten arrest over the phone,” said Sheriff Koutoujian. “Nor will they demand payment for debt over the phone.”
Anyone who receives a call similar in nature to those referenced above is encouraged to contact their local police department. We also ask that you contact the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office Investigations Unit at 978-932-3220 if the caller indicates they work for the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office.
