Real police officers don’t communicate by phone, text or chat

A common tactic for bad actors to scam people into giving up valuable personal information is to pose as a police officer when contacting a potential victim. However, just because someone says they’re a law enforcement officer doesn’t mean they are. This goes for all forms of remote communication, including phone calls: If someone claiming to be an officer contacts you, don’t speak with them, as officers will visit your home directly if they want to speak with you. Note that there are some exceptions to this rule, such as if you solicit a call from the police department. If you’re not sure, dial their department directly and ask if the call is genuine.