Scammers are calling Hawaii residents, pretending to be Attorney General investigators and saying they can avoid being arrested if they quickly pay a fine, according to the AG’s office. 

In the past few weeks, people have reported receiving calls from scammers claiming to be agents with the AG’s Investigation Division, according to a news release. 

The callers claim the people are being criminally investigated and can avoid being arrested if they quickly pay a fine via a money transfer phone app. 

The scammers sometimes use the real names of state employees and are spoofing real Department of Attorney General phone numbers.

“Law enforcement agencies will not call to solicit any form of payment electronically, or by phone,” said Attorney General Anne Lopez in the news release. “The best thing you can do is hang up the phone and report the encounter. Do not provide credit card numbers, bank account information or other personal information to callers claiming to represent a law enforcement agency.”

The Department of the AG asks anyone who receives a call, text or email that appears to be a scam to alert the AG’s Investigation Division at 808-586-1240 or email HawaiiAG@hawaii.gov.