Fear being a scammer’s best weapon is the basis for this Coconut Creek Police Department Scam Alert. These heartless fraudsters take advantage of people’s fears all the time. Whether they pretend to be from a utility company (“Pay us now or we’ll cut off your power.”), claim to be one of us, law enforcement (“Pay this fine now or we’ll come arrest you.”), or most recently, a man who came to see us after the scammers said they were from the cartel (“Pay us now or we’ll hurt you and your family.”), fear is a great tool for these bad guys.

If you get a similar phone call, it’s important to slow down. Breathe. Don’t be afraid. Think to yourself: “I know I paid my electric bill. What’s going on here?” Or – “Why is this so-called “officer” telling me to go and buy gift cards to “fix” this situation?” And – “This person threatening me on the phone scares me, before I do anything, let me call the police first.”

Take fear out of the scammer’s toolbox. Skepticism and patience can save your hard-earned money.