Wyoming Police Department Issues Scam Warning

Rock Springs Police say they have seen a spike recently in reports of phone scams. That's according to a post on the RSPD Facebook page.

Some of the common scams include such things as "debt relief calls, imposter calls, investment scams, charity scams, extended car warranties, prize and lottery scams, and travel scams."

The department says there are several things people can do to protect themselves. One red flag is any kind of contest where you are asked to pay money upfront to win a prize. Some of the tell-tale signs of law enforcement scams are requests from the caller to pay a fine with a gift card or threats of immediate arrest if payment of a supposed fine is not made immediately.

It is worth noting that some scammers do enough background work to know the names of actual deputies or police officers, so simply because the caller uses the name of a law enforcement officer doesn't mean the call is legitimate.

As the post mentions, scammers can also fake phone numbers, so caller ID is not a reliable guide in identifying scam calls versus those from a sheriff's office or police department.

Police are also reminding potential scam victims to ask questions. People who won't answer questions or who refuse to return calls usually are con artists.

More information on identifying scammers and protecting yourself is available at the Federal Trade Commission [FTC] website.