GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – Scams happen every day and there are times it can impact more than the victim. Recently, Nebraskans have been receiving phone calls from scammers pretending to be police officers.
One Grand Island resident, who wished to remain anonymous, was the victim of a recent scam.
The scammer called her job at a local restaurant posing as a Grand Island Police officer and told her they were looking for an individual but couldn’t say any more information until she stated her name and job title.
The victim said she complied with the scammer and they told her she was the person they were looking for. Conversations switched to her cellphone, the scammer verified her address and told her she should’ve gotten a letter about the fees she owes. She was told the fees had something to do with jury duty and was given the choice to pay the fees or turn herself in. This scam cost her thousands.
“Originally I think he tried to get like $4,500 from me, which I was like I don’t have that, I can’t do that,” the scam victim said. “Then he told me he put an application in for me to lessen the amount and he told me it would be right about $1,500 to $2,000.”
The scammer had her transfer the funds through Bitcoin and she had to receive help from her parents to pay the scammer. After she sent $2,000, the scammer asked for more money. That’s when she became suspicious and received a ride to the police station from a friend.
The scammer threatened to charge her with interference in a federal investigation. By that time, she realized she had been scammed. Afterwards, she called the state attorney’s office to ensure she didn’t have fees to pay and was told she was the seventh call they received about unpaid fees. Is there ever a time police would call a resident about fees?
“Never,” Captain Dean Elliott, Grand Island Police Department, said. “We do not collect fines, we do not collect any type of money at all. Our front office does, when you come in to pay for a parking ticket or a handgun permit.”
Elliott said officers in the field do not take any type of payment for anything because fines and fees are handled through the court system. He said there have been other scams when law enforcement is impersonated.
Elliott acknowledges it is possible someone spoofed GIPD’s number and addresses are easily accessible because they are public record. Although this scam didn’t alter the scam victim’s life, it did have an impact.
“I have three children. You know, I mean it’s not like I get paid a whole lot, anything I have is for saving,” the scam victim said. “Some of this money that was taken made it to where we couldn’t go camping, you know, which is something that we do every year.”
Law enforcement said there’s a way to verify if the person on the phone is telling the truth.
“If you don’t believe the person you are talking to is an officer, you can always hang up with them and call the non-emergency 911 number for your local area or call 911 and let them know that you feel you’re being scammed,” said Elliott.
Elliott said if an officer is trying to get hold of you, dispatch will be able to confirm that. Sometimes these scams are a result of the good old saying ‘Nebraska Nice’.
“I do believe that there is a degree of trust and acceptance in the Midwest that you don’t find in other pockets of the country; and that is a generalization, right,” Josh Planos, Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and PR for Better Business Bureau, said. “But I do believe there is more of a willingness to give the benefit of the doubt here that can be challenging when we have a scam epidemic in this country.”
The Grand Island resident has a message for all scammers.
“Maybe they have no moral compass for it but they should consider what they do,” the scam victim said. “That yeah, it might make them some quick cash, but what are they affecting? I mean, what are they gaining on their soul?”
This scam is a reminder to always double-check sources and never let someone pressure you into making a transaction over the phone.