Troy PD: Call From Police Demanding Money, Gift Cards Is A Scam

TROY, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — The Troy Police Department is warning the community about a phone scam.

Police say there has been two recent incidents where the scammers convincingly posed as law enforcement officers, one from the FBI and one from Royal Oak.

In both incidents, the caller ID showed the actual number from real agencies.

A Troy resident received a call from an apparent scammer posing as an FBI employee called "Officer Michael Brown." Police said the caller ID showed a Troy Police Department number.

The suspect told the resident to go to two Target stores and get gift cards totaling $1,360 and provide the caller with the numbers, or she would go to jail.

Police say the second incident received a call from someone calling to be a detective from Royal Oak Police stating that she failed to show up for a court case.

The scammer instructed the resident that she would need to pay $7,200 in prepaid cash gift cards or go to jail for an outstanding warrant. The victim did so, and also provided pictures of her social security card and other documents as requested.

The caller ID showed the Royal Oak Police Department's number, but it was a scammer spoofing their number. The victim had no such warrant or even ever had contact with Royal Oak Police Department.

If you ever receive a call like this, police recommend hanging up and calling the actual, listed number for the agency back.