Birmingham PD Warns Of New Phone Scam

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The Birmingham Police Department has been made aware of a phone scam targeting members of the Birmingham community. The scam involves a caller claiming to be with the Birmingham Police Department and that the victim has a family member in jail.

Police said in a statement Thursday that victims have reported a caller who will contact a community member by phone and address the community member by name. The scammer then claims to be a supervisor with the Birmingham City Jail and claims to have one of the community member’s family members in custody, who the scammer also addresses by name.

The scammer then says that if the community member sends a payment through Cash App, Pay Pal, or Green Dot card the Birmingham City Jail personnel will release the family member who allegedly is in custody.

"The Birmingham Police Department will never request any personal information or forms of payment over the phone," the department said in its statement.

Any community member who has been a victim of this scam is asked to contact the Birmingham Police Department’s Financial Crime Division at 205-254-1761.