The Hawaii Police Department warned the public of a phone scam after receiving reports of people impersonating police officers when calling Hawaii Island residents. 

Police said scammers are calling victims and identifying themselves as law enforcement officers, according to a news release. In one instance, a scammer posed as a police sergeant and left a message for a victim saying they were calling from the Hawaii Police Department regarding an ongoing legal matter. In another instance, a scammer asked potential victims to buy Apple cards in order to resolve the legal matter. 

Hawaii Police Department officials said officers will never ask for payment of any kind over the phone.

This is not the first time the Hawaii Police Department has warned about phone scams involving the impersonation of officers. In November, the police department sent out a similar warning, saying scammers were impersonating officers and telling people to avoid an outstanding warrant for their arrest that they must use Coinstar kiosk machines to transfer money. 

Officials provided these recommendations to protect yourself from scams:

  • Always verify the caller’s identity. Request the caller’s full name, identification number and contact information then contact the police department or agency the caller claims to represent by using publicly available contact information, not any phone number the caller provides. Legitimate law enforcement officers will always provide ID information without hesitation.
  • Do not share your personal information. Never disclose personal details such as social security number, bank account information, credit card numbers or any other sensitive data over the phone unless you are absolutely sure the caller is legitimate.
  • Beware of urgent or coercive tactics scammers often use. Scammers will often create a sense of urgency to pressure victims into taking immediate action. They may threaten arrest, fines or legal consequences to pressure you into sharing your personal information or making immediate payments. When this happens, step back, remain calm and verify the authenticity of the call before taking any further action. Again, verify authenticity by using publicly available contact information of the department or agency the scammer claims to represent.
  • Educate yourself and others. Share this information with friends, family and vulnerable individuals in your community. The more people are aware of scams, the more people can protect themselves and prevent scams from succeeding.

Anyone who receives a call as described above and is unsure of the caller’s authenticity is encouraged to hang up and call the police department’s non-emergency number at 808-935-3311.