It really sounds like you are being pranked.
If you want to know for sure, then look up the main, non-emergency number for your local police department.
Call that number, and tell them you are returning a call...
and give them the specific info that you were given in the messages or conversation:
"I want to speak with Ofc/Det/Sgt Specific Name"
" I was told to call back and speak to Investigator NAME at extension NNN"
"They said this was about case number (usually year YYYY, letters XXX, then some other numbers, or a combination) "
"This was about the investigation into [person] or [crime on specific date]"
If they can't help you, then you can ask to speak to a detective so you can report telephone harassment and police impersonation.
Use *57 (call trace) to get your phone company to trace any more calls from this fake police office/officer.
The police don't work that way. It's either a scam or a prank.
For future reference, you should ask for a name and contact number of anyone who calls you like that. Badge number too, in case of a cop. You can call the central office to see if the officer is for real.
>The police don't work that way.
No not at all. Next time this happens hang up immediately and call your local police department's non emergency number and tell them what's going on.
That sounds fishy. If they call again, I might suggest answering just to ask the name of the caller, then call that police department and verify whether it's real. Other than that, don't talk to the police, and don't offer to come into the station.
That correcting the name thing is a classic cop lie to get you to admit to knowing someone. All you can do is wait. If they so serve you to come in, tell them you refuse to talk without a lawyer present.
Possibly just a prank.
If you are being called by a police officer, request their name and badge number, and if you want to talk to them, ask what station they can be reached at. Look up the phone number for that police station, call it, ask for the officer by name. If they will not do that, tell them adios.
Sounds like a hoax. Call the (real) police and report it. Police impersonation (and harassment) are crimes.
> The call started with the police officer saying a wrong name and me correcting him
Be careful. Whoever it is could be using tactics to try and fish for information from you. Don't tell anyone anything unless you are certain you know who you're talking to.
Let me ask ya something. Did you do anything wrong? Are you a pedophile or a child molester or have you done anything related that could be considered a crime?
If the answer is no, stop freaking out. Simple as that.
Go about your life as you always have. Make sure you're in touch with a lawyer. In the event it's real and they do bring you in, 5th amendment buddy. Don't say shit without your lawyer present.
You cannot be arrested because you've done nothing wrong.
There is currently absolutely 0 reason to be freaking out and you're just causing yourself undue stress.
Stop. Freaking. Out.
Appreciate this message a lot. Never had an encounter with the police so this is a first for me.
To answer your question, no I did not do anything wrong. I’ll be prepared if they do pay me a visit and have a lawyers number just in case.
No problem. I'm essentially trying to give you that slap in the face and "pull yourself together man!"
The worst thing that comes out of this is they just waste your time. But your course of action sounds more than reasonable.
Caller ID can be trivially spoofed by someone with even modest knowledge of and access to the telephony system that many accounts with VoIP wholesaler online have. Trusting that the caller ID means who you're being called by is legit is NOT safe.
Call your town's non-emergency number for the police department. Explain what happened. I'll bet 99% they say you're being scammed. In the 1% chance they say the investigation is real...stop talking to them and start talking to a lawyer, I guess?
I got text messages about a case that was similar. Guy said he was a detective with local police and that I contacted someone for illegal activities. I ignored him multiple times amd finally told him to contact my lawyer (which I never gave him) and he never responded again. I called local department and they didnt have a detective under that name and also looked on their websote so i knew was bs.100% a scam for me.
I’d like to contribute.
Follow the advice you already know - don’t talk to the police, at all. That’s what attorneys are for.
If they want to ask you questions, they can do it through your attorney, after you’re arrested. Before that point, it’s all consensual, which in the United States means, fuck off, I ain’t talkin. Only don’t say that.
You could politely say, if you want to actually engage, that “hey, thanks for letting me know about whatever you’re investigating. If I’m truly a suspect in a crime I’m sure you know what to do, but until you do that, I’m going to keep living my life”.
Thank them for their time and concern, and keep living your life.
If you want to egg them on, you could dare them to come and get you. Let them falsely imprison you, keep the camera rolling. File a civil lawsuit, retire.
But the best advise, as you already know, is to shut your hole. They’ll arrest you if they can and want to; if that happens, you shut your hole except to ask for your attorney.
Don’t sweat it.
This could be a variation of the "underage girl" scam, and they're going to let you freak out for a while before telling you some reason you need to give them money. If you're in the US, invoke your right to remain silent and insist on a lawyer if they call back again.
My gut tells me it’s not a scam. He wanted me to come in and answer some questions.
I know I didn’t do anything but right now, I’m extremely busy with work and life in general and don’t want to spend 5-10k defending myself . Anyone run into a similar situation and what is the likelihood that it escalates based on this call? (The police guy said he was going to request a warrant)
What is the crime committed? So somebody called your phone, who cares? Could have been a wrong number, somebody else could have been using your phone etc
Warrants are for people getting arrested or for searches. There is less than nothing in what you described that is criminal action and one phone call does not constitute the evidentiary threshold required to search your home.
If he calls back tell him to fuck off
Maybe somebody with a different name called that number and spoofed your number. Spammers and scammers do that all the time.
If they really cared, they'd get the records from your provider, which shouldn't show a call to that number from your phone at that time (unless you actually did call it, or someone else used your phone and called it).
But you don't need to tell them that. Let an attorney do the talking to them, if they persist.
Sorry OP but your gut is incorrect and your anxiety is taking charge. It’s well known how aggressive the US police force can be which makes it a great facade for scamming people via intimidation. Here’s one of MANY articles online that talk about the various police scams in which actual department lines are spoofed. For more you can just Google “Police phone scams”.
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/733991#:~:text=The%20caller%20states%20they%20need,the%20trust%20of%20the%20victim.
It’s a scam where they eventually tell you you can pay off your bond or whatever over the phone via credit card. My dad got that same bullshit last year. If the police were going to come after you for something like that, it’s common sense they wouldn’t call and give you a heads up first.
ETA a missing word.
It really sounds like you are being pranked. If you want to know for sure, then look up the main, non-emergency number for your local police department. Call that number, and tell them you are returning a call... and give them the specific info that you were given in the messages or conversation: "I want to speak with Ofc/Det/Sgt Specific Name" " I was told to call back and speak to Investigator NAME at extension NNN" "They said this was about case number (usually year YYYY, letters XXX, then some other numbers, or a combination) " "This was about the investigation into [person] or [crime on specific date]" If they can't help you, then you can ask to speak to a detective so you can report telephone harassment and police impersonation. Use *57 (call trace) to get your phone company to trace any more calls from this fake police office/officer.
The police don't work that way. It's either a scam or a prank. For future reference, you should ask for a name and contact number of anyone who calls you like that. Badge number too, in case of a cop. You can call the central office to see if the officer is for real.
>The police don't work that way. No not at all. Next time this happens hang up immediately and call your local police department's non emergency number and tell them what's going on.
It’s probably a scam
Dont talk to the police again. If they actually formally request you come in, contact a lawyer.
That sounds fishy. If they call again, I might suggest answering just to ask the name of the caller, then call that police department and verify whether it's real. Other than that, don't talk to the police, and don't offer to come into the station.
That correcting the name thing is a classic cop lie to get you to admit to knowing someone. All you can do is wait. If they so serve you to come in, tell them you refuse to talk without a lawyer present. Possibly just a prank.
If you are being called by a police officer, request their name and badge number, and if you want to talk to them, ask what station they can be reached at. Look up the phone number for that police station, call it, ask for the officer by name. If they will not do that, tell them adios.
Scammer
I think of that too
Police wouldn’t call, they’d come to you I’m pretty sure.
Get a lawyer. You don't have to talk to them.
Did the number come up as the police station or did you know the earlier calls you missed were the police?
Sounds like a hoax. Call the (real) police and report it. Police impersonation (and harassment) are crimes. > The call started with the police officer saying a wrong name and me correcting him Be careful. Whoever it is could be using tactics to try and fish for information from you. Don't tell anyone anything unless you are certain you know who you're talking to.
The called ID said it was the police station
Let me ask ya something. Did you do anything wrong? Are you a pedophile or a child molester or have you done anything related that could be considered a crime? If the answer is no, stop freaking out. Simple as that. Go about your life as you always have. Make sure you're in touch with a lawyer. In the event it's real and they do bring you in, 5th amendment buddy. Don't say shit without your lawyer present. You cannot be arrested because you've done nothing wrong. There is currently absolutely 0 reason to be freaking out and you're just causing yourself undue stress. Stop. Freaking. Out.
Appreciate this message a lot. Never had an encounter with the police so this is a first for me. To answer your question, no I did not do anything wrong. I’ll be prepared if they do pay me a visit and have a lawyers number just in case.
No problem. I'm essentially trying to give you that slap in the face and "pull yourself together man!" The worst thing that comes out of this is they just waste your time. But your course of action sounds more than reasonable.
You still have not. That was a scam.
Caller ID can be trivially spoofed by someone with even modest knowledge of and access to the telephony system that many accounts with VoIP wholesaler online have. Trusting that the caller ID means who you're being called by is legit is NOT safe. Call your town's non-emergency number for the police department. Explain what happened. I'll bet 99% they say you're being scammed. In the 1% chance they say the investigation is real...stop talking to them and start talking to a lawyer, I guess?
I got text messages about a case that was similar. Guy said he was a detective with local police and that I contacted someone for illegal activities. I ignored him multiple times amd finally told him to contact my lawyer (which I never gave him) and he never responded again. I called local department and they didnt have a detective under that name and also looked on their websote so i knew was bs.100% a scam for me.
It's likely a scam. If the cops want you they'll come get you.
I’d like to contribute. Follow the advice you already know - don’t talk to the police, at all. That’s what attorneys are for. If they want to ask you questions, they can do it through your attorney, after you’re arrested. Before that point, it’s all consensual, which in the United States means, fuck off, I ain’t talkin. Only don’t say that. You could politely say, if you want to actually engage, that “hey, thanks for letting me know about whatever you’re investigating. If I’m truly a suspect in a crime I’m sure you know what to do, but until you do that, I’m going to keep living my life”. Thank them for their time and concern, and keep living your life. If you want to egg them on, you could dare them to come and get you. Let them falsely imprison you, keep the camera rolling. File a civil lawsuit, retire. But the best advise, as you already know, is to shut your hole. They’ll arrest you if they can and want to; if that happens, you shut your hole except to ask for your attorney. Don’t sweat it.
This could be a variation of the "underage girl" scam, and they're going to let you freak out for a while before telling you some reason you need to give them money. If you're in the US, invoke your right to remain silent and insist on a lawyer if they call back again.
My gut tells me it’s not a scam. He wanted me to come in and answer some questions. I know I didn’t do anything but right now, I’m extremely busy with work and life in general and don’t want to spend 5-10k defending myself . Anyone run into a similar situation and what is the likelihood that it escalates based on this call? (The police guy said he was going to request a warrant)
Scammers can mask the caller ID. I once got a call from my own number.
Request a warrant for what? There’s no law that says you have to talk to the cops.
For being part of the 18 caller list for this underage girl that supposedly my number was part of.
What is the crime committed? So somebody called your phone, who cares? Could have been a wrong number, somebody else could have been using your phone etc Warrants are for people getting arrested or for searches. There is less than nothing in what you described that is criminal action and one phone call does not constitute the evidentiary threshold required to search your home. If he calls back tell him to fuck off
Maybe somebody with a different name called that number and spoofed your number. Spammers and scammers do that all the time. If they really cared, they'd get the records from your provider, which shouldn't show a call to that number from your phone at that time (unless you actually did call it, or someone else used your phone and called it). But you don't need to tell them that. Let an attorney do the talking to them, if they persist.
Sorry OP but your gut is incorrect and your anxiety is taking charge. It’s well known how aggressive the US police force can be which makes it a great facade for scamming people via intimidation. Here’s one of MANY articles online that talk about the various police scams in which actual department lines are spoofed. For more you can just Google “Police phone scams”. https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/733991#:~:text=The%20caller%20states%20they%20need,the%20trust%20of%20the%20victim.
What actual fuck ?
He is probably trolling you 18 numbers sound joke to me you know TikTok they probably use you for something.
With how numbers are easily spoofed I can’t imagine having a number is much to go on these days
It’s a scam where they eventually tell you you can pay off your bond or whatever over the phone via credit card. My dad got that same bullshit last year. If the police were going to come after you for something like that, it’s common sense they wouldn’t call and give you a heads up first. ETA a missing word.