Austin's already scam-weary citizens are now facing a new fraudulent onslaught where crooks are brazenly posing as top cops to swindle cash from the unwary. The Austin Police Department (APD) has flagged up a wave of calls where some con artist, masquerading as an APD chief, is looking to make a quick buck off of gullible Austinites, as per reports obtained by FOX 7 Austin.

The scammers have gone so far as to cleverly disguise their call-back digits to make them look hauntingly official. They're demanding folks quickly pay up to settle fabricated fines, fees, or even ghostly warrants. But the city's finest have been quick to sound the alarm, ensuring residents know that the long arm of the law doesn't reach out via phone to shake down payments. The APD vowed that it would "never call you and ask for money" as stated in the APD Official X Post.

In a similar vein, the swindle has rippled through the community, with the APD previously cautioning that "the calls were coming from an 'official looking' phone number," according to coverage by KVUE. The modus operandi is an all-too-familiar one—hoodwink residents into parting with their hard-earned cash over phantom legal tangles.

In a swiftly issued advisement, the APD recommended that should you receive such a call, don't just passively accept it but rather actively look up to confirm the agency's contact information. They further declared that they would never call to demand payment of any kind. However, in case this sophisticated ruse ropes you in, they suggest reporting the bogus call immediately to Austin 311, the city's non-emergency helpline.