Radnor police say scammers called members of religious groups posing as leaders and asked for gift card donations. Others posed as police. Here is what to know.
Scammers have been calling members of religious groups in Radnor Township, pretending to be senior leaders and asking for donations in the form of gift cards. Radnor police say the calls came on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29. A second scam uses the police department's own name.
Someone contacted members of various religious institutions and posed as high-level members of those groups. The callers convinced people to give money by buying gift cards. Police say anyone asked to donate over the phone by someone claiming to be from their religious institution should contact their community leaders directly.
Separately, residents have received calls from people claiming to be Radnor officers. The department says those calls are not from it, and that it would not ask anyone for money. Police say no one has been a victim in that case.
Residents who have not received a call of this kind have nothing to fix. The police report says the fake officer calls have cost no one money so far. The people most likely to be reached are members of local religious groups.
The warning signs are simple. A caller uses a title you respect, asks for gift cards, or asks for personal or financial details. The steps in the alert box above explain how to check before you act.
The police report does not say who is behind the calls, how many people were contacted, or whether anyone paid the fake religious leaders. It also does not say if the calls will continue. Anyone who got one of these calls and is unsure what to do can contact the police department using a verified phone number.
If a caller claiming to be clergy or police asks for money, hang up and check using a number you already know.
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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