Fake Police Calls: How to Verify and Report Them

Signs of a Fake Police Call

A caller is not proven legitimate just because your screen shows a police name or a local-looking number. Caller ID can be changed, so a fake police call number may appear convincing.

End the call if the person uses fear or secrecy to prevent you from checking the claim. Common warning signs include:

• Threatening immediate arrest, jail, deportation, or loss of a license unless you act at once.
• Demanding urgent payment for a supposed warrant, fine, missed court date, or failure to report for jury duty.
• Requesting gift cards, cryptocurrency, cash, a wire transfer, or payment through an app.
• Telling you to stay on the line while obtaining money or reading payment details.
• Pressuring you not to contact your local police department, a court, a lawyer, or a family member.
• Refusing to let you hang up and verify the caller independently.
• Asking for passwords, verification codes, full financial account details, or a Social Security number.

A fake call from police may include a real officer’s name, badge information, or details about your address. Those facts can be copied from public records or earlier data breaches. A badge number, authoritative tone, or accurate personal detail does not verify the caller.

How to Verify a Police Caller

Do not argue with the caller or follow instructions to transfer the call. Say that you will verify the matter independently, then hang up. If you feel pressured, you can end the call without explaining.

1. Write down the department name, caller’s claimed name, badge information, division, and stated reason for calling.
2. Do not call the displayed number or a number supplied by the caller.
3. Find the department through an official city, county, state, tribal, campus, or federal government website.
4. Use the published non-emergency contact listed by that government source.
5. Ask whether the named person works there and whether the department attempted to contact you.
6. Verify any claimed warrant, court matter, or jury issue separately with the responsible government office using its official listing.

Tell the department that you may have received a fake police phone call. Provide the time and details, but avoid repeating sensitive information where other people can hear. A legitimate agency should allow independent verification. Do not rely on a callback from the original caller as proof.

If the supposed caller claims to represent another area, contact that department directly through its official government listing. This same process applies to a fake police officer call or a fake police department call.

What Not to Share or Pay

During an unsolicited call, do not provide or confirm sensitive information simply because the caller claims to be an officer. Legitimate police callers generally should not demand immediate payment or require secret financial action by phone.

• Do not share passwords, account recovery answers, or one-time verification codes.
• Do not provide a full Social Security number, driver’s license image, passport image, or tax record.
• Do not disclose full bank or card details, account access credentials, or personal identification numbers.
• Do not send gift card numbers, photographs of cards, cryptocurrency, cash, wire transfers, or app-based payments.
• Do not install software, open an unexpected attachment, or allow remote access to your phone or computer.
• Do not confirm personal facts merely to correct the caller. Even a correction can give a scammer useful information.

Police do not resolve an arrest threat through gift cards. Treat any demand for gift card details as a fake police scam call and stop communicating.

How to Report Police Impersonation

To report a fake police call, first contact your local law enforcement agency through its official government listing. Explain that someone may be impersonating an officer or department. If the caller named a different agency, notify that agency as well so it can document misuse of its identity.

Also submit a fraud report to the Federal Trade Commission through the fraud-reporting channel reached from the Commission’s official government website. Include the caller’s claims, requested payment method, displayed caller information, and any loss. The Federal Communications Commission accepts complaints concerning unwanted calls and caller ID spoofing through its official government complaint system.

If money or account information was involved, report the incident to the affected financial institution or payment provider using a contact method from an official statement, card, app, or website. Do not use contact details supplied in the suspicious call or message.

What to Do If You Already Responded

Act quickly, but do not continue speaking with the suspected scammer.

1. Contact the bank, card issuer, payment app, wire service, or other provider involved. Ask whether the transfer can be stopped, recalled, or flagged as fraud.
2. If you gave gift card details, contact the card issuer through the official information printed on the card or packaging. Keep the card and receipt.
3. Change exposed passwords from a trusted device. Use a different password for each account and enable stronger sign-in protection where available.
4. If you shared a verification code, contact the affected account provider and review recent sign-ins, recovery settings, and transactions.
5. If you disclosed identity information, place appropriate fraud protections with the major credit reporting agencies and review your credit reports.
6. Report the impersonation to local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission. Keep the report confirmation with your evidence.

Watch financial and online accounts for unfamiliar activity. Tell close contacts if the scammer gained access to your messages, because the person may impersonate you next.

Preserve Evidence From the Call

Save evidence without calling the suspected scammer back. Take screenshots of the displayed name and number, but remember that caller ID may be spoofed.

• Keep the voicemail and any related text messages or emails.
• Record the date, call time, duration, and sequence of events.
• Write down the claimed officer name, agency, badge information, threats, and payment instructions.
• Save receipts, transaction records, gift card packaging, and messages from payment providers.
• Note what information you disclosed and which accounts may be affected.
• Preserve report confirmations and the names of agencies or providers you contacted.

Do not edit recordings or screenshots if you can retain the originals. Give copies to investigators or affected providers when requested, and keep your own set. These details can help authorities connect your fake call police report with similar impersonation attempts.