Montana law enforcement agencies are warning Montanans to be careful about calls from people claiming to be Montana law enforcement.
Havre Police Chief Kirk Fitch and the Montana Highway Patrol have sent out warnings this week to raise awareness of a new scam that appears to be duping victims across the state.
An email from Fitch warns of “a new twist to the ‘grandson’ or ‘relative’ scam, ” where a caller claims to be a friend or relative in a desperate situation, who needs financial help quick.
“A sense of urgency to help their friend/contact may cause the recipient to fail to validate the claim, increasing the likelihood of them falling for this scam, ” Fitch’s email said. “The new scam is being perpetrated by individuals portraying themselves as members of law enforcement. ”
The Montana Highway Patrol also warns of officer-impersonating extortion.
“They call a residence and tell them that a family member was in a crash or arrested, ” an MHP press release said. “They tell the family member that they need to send them money in order to get him/her released or the charges dropped from a Felony to a Misdemeanor.
“The Montana Highway Patrol will not call you to have you send money by mail or take a credit card over the phone. If an actual arrest of an individual has been made, the money will either be paid directly to a court or at the Sheriff’s Detention Center where you will be given a receipt for your payment when you pick up the incarcerated person. ”
Fitch said this scam has claimed victims in other cities in Montana, and offered advice for Havre residents to avoid the same fate.
“The scam has been used recently in Kalispell / Columbia Falls and Great Falls, ” Fitch said in the email. “Additionally, and especially when dealing with individuals who claim to be from law enforcement and have contacted you by phone, please call back on a verified phone number. You can look up any law enforcement agency's phone number on the internet/phone book or call 411 and ask for the agency phone number. ”
People who run into this scam can report it at http://www.ic3.gov, the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
What did you expcet them to do Anonymous, chase down the scammers with the phone number? No, that just happens on old-time TV. No, see, first you have to send the money. Then you would think there would be a crime committed, wouldn't you? No, wrong again. That is not actually a crime, taking your money on false pretenses.
It has happened to me, I know what they will tell you. That it is not a crime, it is merely a "tort", a civilian matter which can only be met with a law suit. Yeah, a law suit. Not jail time, a law suit.
No, you have to hire a lawyer to get your money back. Now, that is only if a lawyer would ever take your case in the first place. They wouldn't. Because you didn't go through a lawyer in the first place. See you should have made a contract with your scammer first. Yeah, you have got to spread the money around. If you do not give some lawyer a piece of the action first they will not even consider your troubles now.
Are you starting to get the picture yet? You are on your own in the world. "privatization". It sounded pretty good when Ronald Reagan explained it to you didn't it. Now you don't bother the police with your problems. They are your problems, not theirs. Now if someone steals your money through deception the police will not help you. That creates a thirst for justice in you, a "demand" for justice. See yet?
So if you still want justice you have to go after it yourself. Then, suppose you do catch the scammer, in Toronto Canada, or Nigeria Africa, maybe. Suppose you drag them back to Havre to face justice. What happens then? Well, you go to jail. Now the police have a real crime on their hands, and a real criminal. You. See, everybody wins but you. You have been "privatized"!
That is the way it really works Anonymous. Quit kickin and get with the program.