Memphis residents are being targeted by a wave of deceptive phone calls made to appear as though they're coming from the Memphis Police Department's non-emergency line. According to a recent warning from MPD, over ten individuals reported receiving these hoax calls on Thursday. The scammers, impersonating law enforcement officers, falsely inform the call recipients about nonexistent warrants to harvest their personal information.
Despite multiple reports of these calls, authorities have clarified that the MPD's non-emergency number, while it is being used in the scam, would not actually show up on a caller ID. As per FOX13 Memphis, the department stressed, "These calls are not legitimate," adding that the number is being "spoofed to appear as MPD's non-emergency line."
Further elucidating the department's communication protocols, MPD officials explained they would never initiate unsolicited calls from their non-emergency number, nor call individuals to inform them of warrants or solicit sensitive personal details. This misinformation campaign seemingly looks to exploit the trust in local institutions for malicious gain.
MPD advises anyone receiving such a call not to engage or share personal information. Instead, they should hang up immediately and report the incident to the Memphis Police Department, as doing so would be impersonation of an officer; the scam caller's claims of an outstanding warrant may seem legitimate. This guidance was echoed in reporting by both Action News 5 and WREG, further underlining the importance of vigilance among the public.
