OCEAN CITY, Md. - The Ocean City Police Department is warning residents about a phone scam circulating in the community after several people reported receiving fraudulent calls from someone claiming to be an officer.
Police say the scammers are telling residents they have outstanding warrants that must be resolved immediately, pressuring victims to send money to clear their names. Authorities stressed that officers will never call to collect payment, request financial information or attempt to resolve a warrant over the phone.
Jim Rapp and Pam Matschat, both of whom have dealt with scam attempts in the past, say they can be convincing and dangerous.
“You take what would normally be an innocent phone call and it can really destroy a big part of your life,” Rapp said.
“I get texts all the time, but, I just delete them and report them as junk,” Matschat said.
The Ocean City Police Department is warning residents about a phone scam circulating in the community.
The Ocean City Police Department recently posted a warning on Facebook advising residents about the latest scheme. Callers claim to be officers with the department and tell victims they must send money immediately to clear an alleged warrant.
According to the Ocean City Police Department, officers will never call you to settle a warrant or ask for payment over the phone.
Police say cons like this happen frequently, and scammers are often brazen — sometimes even using the names of real OCPD officers to make their calls sound legitimate.
“All it takes is one phone call and you find some friendly voice and you give them some bit of information and they’ve got you,” Rapp said.
“There’s a number of seniors that live in the area and at least keep it top of mind for them,” Matschat added.
Police urge residents to stay vigilant, emphasizing that the goal of these scams is to confuse or scare victims into sending money. According to the department, only one person in Ocean City has transferred money during this recent wave of scam calls, but officers say they have received numerous reports of attempted fraud.
Ocean City is not the only community dealing with these calls. Police say the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office has also encountered similar incidents, and note that scams like these have become common nationwide.
Residents who receive suspicious calls are encouraged to hang up immediately and avoid providing any personal or financial information.