LAPD News:

The Los Alamos Police Department (LAPD) is warning the public of a scam underway in which citizens are called by someone claiming to be from the Los Alamos Sheriff’s Office.

The caller is telling citizens they have a warrant out for their arrest for missing their court date and that they must pay fines to avoid jail time.

This scam has occurred in Los Alamos several times over the past few years. Criminals are using “spoofed” or fake phone numbers. The criminals are telling citizens real names of local judges to try and use “scare tactics” to get them to provide their credit card or other payment information.

“We would like to warn the public to never provide payment information over the phone,” Deputy Chief Oliver Morris said. “No legitimate Law Enforcement Agency would request this type of information. The callers are criminals, so just hang up.”

The LAPD office manager has posted this warning on the Los Alamos Sheriff’s Office website at https://www.losalamosnm.us/government/elected_officials/sheriff

Any citizen who has been scammed out of any monetary amount may report their crime to the Los Alamos Police Department at 505.662.8222.