The Missouri State Highway Patrol is warning people about a telephone scam that has been reported throughout the state.
“In the past month, some incidents have been reported across the state,” Sgt. Bradley R. German said in a written statement. “In each case, a suspect contacted an individual associated with someone who was involved in a motor vehicle crash, identified themselves as the investigating trooper and attempted to solicit money from the victim. The suspect may intimidate the victim with false claims of impending or nonexistent court charges/proceedings.”
German said the public should understand the highway patrol will not contact people and solicit funds or demand any form of payment. Patrol employees also do not process bonds or accept money to prevent or dispose of charges.
“If a person asks you to send your money anywhere, you should assume it’s a scam,” German said. “Take your time verifying the information by calling phone numbers you locate yourself on verified websites. You should not confirm any identifying information about yourself to the scammer.”