Authorities: Scammer Posing As Greenwich Police Chief Targeting Residents

GREENWICH, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Greenwich's police chief says someone is pretending to be him in an apparent attempt to scam area residents.

The Greenwich Police Department posted on their Facebook page Wednesday saying a scammer is calling residents using Police Chief James Harvey's name and telling them the police department has a warrant for their arrest for failing to go to jury duty.

"The intended victim has to go to a Rite Aid, Walgreens or CVS to pick up a non-traceable gift card which is the preferred method of payment of the police department and they must call in a payment immediately," the police department wrote.

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The real chief says the calls are illegal solicitations that aren't sanctioned by the department. Authorities say they have received complaints from as far as California in relation to the scam.

"Spread the word that no police department in the country is going to demand a payment by phone from a non-traceable account to avoid an arrest; it is absurd," authorities wrote.

He says anyone who gets such a call should contact police.

The investigation remains ongoing.