Kaua’i Police Warn of Cryptocurrency Phone Scam: Kauai Now

Kaua’i Police are warning islanders about a new phone scam involving people posing as police officers.

In this scam, callers pretend to be police officers to extort money. Scammers tell victims that there is a warrant out for their arrest and that the only way to avoid arrest is to pay a fine in the form of cryptocurrency.

“Such calls should be treated with suspicion. Do not give out credit card details or other personal information,” stressed Assistant Chief Kalani Ke. “It is extremely important to report such incidents to the Kaua’i Police Department and remember that law enforcement will never call you to demand payment of any kind.”

To make the scam seem believable, the scammer may use real information about the victim. Scammers may even spoof the phone number displayed on the caller ID to make it appear as though the call is coming from a government agency, even though it is not.

If you are contacted by a scammer, take some preventative measures:

• The Kaua’i Police Department does not call citizens and demand money. Never respond to unsolicited requests for personal information from unknown callers.
• Law enforcement agencies will never request any kind of payment over the telephone.
• A fine is only imposed after the person has appeared in court and had a chance to explain their circumstances. If a fine is imposed, it will be in open court and in writing (and cannot be paid by gift card number or cryptocurrency).
• Do not answer calls from unknown numbers.
• Don’t give out personal or financial information, such as your social security number or credit card account number, to callers you don’t know. If they say they have the information and you just need to confirm it, don’t hang up; hang up.

Report suspicious calls immediately to the Kaua’i Police Department by contacting the dispatch center at 808-241-1711.