Scammers are impersonating suburban sheriff and police officers, authorities warn

Authorities in DuPage County warned of an ongoing scam where scammers impersonate law enforcement officers over the phone to demand money from victims.

• Authorities in DuPage County warned of an ongoing scam where their officers or other law enforcement agents are impersonated over the phone in an effort to get money from victims.
• The scammers frequently use the names of real government employees when calling people to demand money after falsely claiming the victim has to pay to avoid arrest for a slew of reasons.
• Authorities said the scammers claim money is owed for a failure to report for jury duty, an outstanding arrest warrant, a missed court appearance or subpoena, or that a family member has been arrested and requires bond.

Why it matters: The scam has the potential to cause financial losses for the victims and undermine trust in law enforcement.