Clearwater Police: Donation calls are a scam

CLEARWATER, Kansas (KSNW) – Clearwater police say they are not asking for money.

Someone is calling residents claiming to be a police officer and asking for donations. Clearwater Police would like to remind residents that while they always accept donations, no one from the police department is actively asking for donations on their behalf and that the calls are a scam.

Scammers have become more sophisticated in recent years, often using spoofers to make it appear as though they are calling from law enforcement, and often using the real names of employees from the particular department they claim to be from to make their scams more convincing.

This particular scam is called a charity scam and is a common one. The caller will try to get you to send money quickly, often in the form of gift cards, wire transfers, money transfers, cashier’s checks, Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, or in some cases by sending cash to a post office box.

If someone calls you asking for a donation, ask questions. Ask for materials to be mailed to you or for them to direct you to a website where you can get more information.

Never agree to transfer money unless you are absolutely sure it is for a legitimate purpose. If the caller claims to be from the police but does not answer your questions, hang up. If you are still unsure, you can always contact the police department yourself and check.

Click here for more tips on scams and how to avoid them.