Venice police warn of scam calls impersonating law enforcement

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The Venice Police Department is warning residents about scam calls from people pretending to be law enforcement officers.

Police said the scammers are using phone numbers that appear similar to legitimate Venice Police Department numbers, sometimes only one digit off. The department said technology and artificial intelligence tools can make the calls more convincing and can be used to manipulate caller ID.

According to police, the scam often starts with a caller claiming to be from a state or federal law enforcement agency. The caller may tell the person they owe money or have an outstanding legal issue that must be resolved immediately.

Police said scammers may use fake backstories to gain trust. They may also threaten arrest, claiming the Venice Police Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office or another law enforcement agency will respond if payment is not made.

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Police said callers may repeat themselves, create panic and give victims a deadline to pay before it is “too late.”

Venice police reminded residents that government agencies and law enforcement officers will not call and demand money over the phone. The department said it will not ask anyone to pay through Bitcoin, gift cards, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App or other electronic payment services.

Police also said residents should never collect or send money on behalf of another agency.

Anyone who receives a suspicious call should not provide personal or financial information. Police advise people to hang up, block the number and mark it as spam on their smartphone.

Anyone who has questions about whether a call is legitimate should hang up and contact the Venice Police Department directly using its official non-emergency number, not the number that called.