Please use caution if you receive a call that appears to be from the Darien Police Department, with the caller saying there’s a "warrant out for your arrest." This agency has been receiving reports from citizens who have received telephone calls from people claiming to work for the Darien Police Department. In certain incidents, callers have used actual names of Darien Police Officers.
The number appearing on the (recipient’s) caller ID can show up as an actual number from the Darien Police Department or another local number. However, the number appearing has been ‘spoofed,’ meaning the calling party is deliberately falsifying the telephone number and/or name relayed as the Caller ID information, to disguise their identity. Typically the caller will demand that the victim stay on the phone and immediately go and purchase a pre-paid debit card such as a Green Dot MoneyPak card to pay money to clear the warrant, pay a bond, or face arrest. To bait you in further, the caller will claim that you need to appear at the local court house (Stamford) for a hearing in the near future. After the purchase at the local convenience store (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Stop & Shop,etc.) the scammer instructs the victim to read off the PIN numbers located on the back of Green Dot cards. This is the equivalent of wiring money or sending cash – it is untraceable, and you can’t get your money back!
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be with the Darien Police, any law enforcement or any government agency and they ask for money, do not give out personal information over the phone -– and do not send money. It’s best to simply hang up.
If you have been a victim of this scheme and have sent money or provided financial information, you are urged to call the Darien Police Department at 203-662-5300.
If you simply want to fill out a complaint form to help law enforcement track these types of scams, you can go to the Federal Trade Commission website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov .