Gainesville, Texas police say scammers are calling while pretending to be the police chief. A real name makes the call sound believable, so know what to do.
Someone is calling people in Gainesville, Texas, and claiming to be the town's police chief. The Gainesville Police Department says it has received reports of callers pretending to be Chief of Police Kevin Phillips. Police are asking residents to hang up on these calls.
Most people would not doubt a call from a police chief. That is what makes this trick work. A real official's name gives the caller instant authority and makes a stranger sound trustworthy. Police say the safe move is to hang up on anyone who claims to be the chief or any other officer, even if the call sounds convincing.
The warning is aimed at Gainesville residents. People elsewhere are not named as targets in the report. Still, the habit works anywhere: if someone claims to be an official, end the call and contact the office yourself.
The police report does not say how many calls have come in. It also does not say what the callers ask for, whether anyone has lost money, or how the callers chose their targets. Those details may come out later.
The steps to take are in the alert box above. The key one is to call the department directly at (940) 668-7777 to check, rather than trusting a number the caller gives you. It also helps to tell family and neighbors, especially older relatives, so fewer people are caught off guard.
If a caller claims to be a police officer, hang up and call the department yourself on a number you know is real.
The Attala County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi says scam calls are reaching residents, and a call that sounds official may not be.
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