10/26/2026
YOUR BANK ACCOUNT ISN'T UNDER INVESTIGATION: YOU ARE BEING SCAMMED!
Monroe Police Department Warns Residents: If Someone Demands Payment by Bitcoin, Gift Cards or Cash App, Stop. It’s a Scam.
Your phone rings. The caller claims to be from your bank and says someone is making fraudulent charges on your account. Or perhaps the caller claims to be a law enforcement officer and says you have a warrant for missing jury duty. They may sound convincing, use official-sounding language, and even have a phone number that appears to belong to your bank or the police department.
Then comes the demand: Send money immediately to protect your account, avoid arrest or pay a fine.
STOP. DO NOT SEND THE MONEY. IT IS A SCAM.
The Monroe Police Department continues to be inundated with reports of innocent people losing money to scammers who use fear, urgency and impersonation to convince victims to hand over their hard-earned money. These scammers are counting on people to panic, act quickly and follow instructions without taking time to verify what they are being told.
In some cases, scammers manipulate caller ID information, making it appear that the call is coming from a legitimate bank, credit union or law enforcement agency. A familiar phone number does not mean the caller is who they claim to be.
Scammers may tell victims their bank account has been compromised, that they must transfer money to a supposedly safe account, or that they will be arrested unless they immediately pay a fine or bond for missing jury duty. Victims may then be instructed to send money through Cash App or another payment app, purchase gift cards and provide the codes, or deposit cash into a Bitcoin ATM or transfer cryptocurrency.
Here is what residents need to know: Legitimate law enforcement agencies, courts, state agencies and financial institutions will not demand that you pay a fine, bond or fee using Bitcoin, cryptocurrency ATMs or gift cards. The State Employees’ Credit Union and other legitimate financial institutions will not ask you to move your money through these methods to supposedly protect it from fraud.
If someone calls demanding immediate payment, threatening arrest or instructing you to withdraw cash, purchase gift cards, transfer cryptocurrency or send money through a payment app, treat it as a major red flag.
The Monroe Police Department urges residents to take the following precautions:
Hang up. Do not stay on the phone with someone pressuring you to send money or threatening you with arrest.
Do not send money. Never transfer funds, purchase gift cards, share gift card codes or use a Bitcoin ATM because of an unexpected phone call.
Verify the story yourself. Contact your bank or credit union using the phone number on your bank card or official website. If someone claims to be with law enforcement or the court system, independently locate the agency’s official phone number and call directly.
Never trust caller ID alone. Phone numbers can be spoofed to make a scam call appear legitimate.
Do not share sensitive information. Never provide passwords, PINs, verification codes or banking information to an unexpected caller.
Talk to someone you trust. Scammers often insist that victims keep the situation secret or act immediately. Taking a moment to consult someone can help prevent a costly mistake.
Most importantly, you do not have to act on a stranger’s demand simply because they sound official or threaten you with serious consequences. Take a breath, end the call and verify the information independently.
“Scammers know how to make people feel afraid and convince them that sending money is the only way to fix a problem. That pressure is part of the scam. We want residents to slow down, verify who they are speaking with and refuse to send money to someone they have not independently verified,” said Police Chief Rhett Bolen.
If you believe you have been targeted by a scam, contact your financial institution immediately if money or account information has been compromised, report the incident to law enforcement, and preserve any phone numbers, messages, receipts or transaction details that may help with an investigation.
Remember: A legitimate agency will not demand Bitcoin to keep you out of jail. Your bank will not need gift card codes to protect your account. And a caller threatening you does not mean their story is true.
Hang up. Verify. Protect your money. Don't let a scammer turn fear into your next financial loss.