Oxford warns residents of phone scam
Oxford Police Department said in a Facebook post that residents have already lost over $1,000 to telephone scammers posing as Oxford police officers and that calls are continuing. The post urged residents to treat such calls as fraudulent even if the caller appears to have real information about the called party or a family member.
The department reminded the public that it will never ask for bond money through Apple Pay, Zelle or any other payment app. It said no legitimate agency collects money over the phone and that gift cards and wire transfers are never valid forms of payment to resolve a police matter.
Officials advised people to hang up and call the police department directly to verify any request for money. The department provided its nonemergency number, 662-232-2400, for verification and reporting, the post said.
Telephone scams that impersonate law enforcement are a common nationwide problem; scammers often use caller ID spoofing or personal details to appear legitimate. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
