Hingham, MA – A 65 year old resident fell victim to a scam in which the Caller ID was spoofed to display the Hingham Police business phone number. The resident lost $9,500 she sent via Bitcoin. 

On June 21, 2024 the resident received a call with a Caller ID displaying our business phone number (781-749-1212). The caller said he was a Hingham Police Officer and told the woman she failed to appear in court on a federal summons. The caller, who spoke with a “southern accent”, said to avoid having the police come to her home and arrest her she needed to pay money immediately. The caller said she owed $9,500 and it had to be paid in Bitcoin. The caller told her to stay on the phone until she completed the transaction. 

The resident went to her bank. The caller remained on the line with her as she withdrew the cash and then went to a Bitcoin ATM machine inside the Stop & Shop. She deposited the cash into the ATM to purchase the Bitcoin. The caller gave her account numbers which he said belonged to the Hingham Police.  Once the transaction was complete, they ended the call. 

A short time later, the person called back and said they found an additional federal charge and she would need to send another $9,500 or she would be arrested. The resident realized she was being scammed and hung up. She immediately drove to the police station. 

Remember, Caller ID can be spoofed to display anything name or number. The police will never call you to warn you about an arrest or threaten you with being arrested. The police will never ask, demand or collect money. As in most phone scams, the caller wants you to stay on the phone with them (sometimes for hours) until the money is actually sent. This is to keep you isolated to prevent you from calling someone or checking to see if the call is legitimate. 

Finally, remember you can always hang up on anyone who calls you unsolicited. You can always call them back if you chose on the phone number you know to be accurate and verify it firsthand. ### Contact P.I.O. Lt. Steven Dearth