Phone Scammer Poses As Chester Police, Officials Warn

CHESTER, NJ — Chester police are advising residents to be cautious of a scam circulating within the town.

In the scam, the perpetrators are calling from what appears to be the Chester Police Department's phone number, posing as a police officer, and telling the victim that they owe the police department money for an outstanding ticket or warrant.

"They might say you’ll be arrested, fined, or deported if you don’t pay taxes or some other debt right away. The goal is to scare you into paying. But real law enforcement and federal agencies won’t call and threaten you," officials said.

Police said the callers might insist you pay in a way that makes it hard to get your money back—by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, or payment app. Anyone who insists that you can only pay that way is a scammer.

These scammers frequently target older residents, but police urge residents to alert friends or family members who may be vulnerable to such a claim.

"If you receive a call from what appears to be the Chester Police Department and you ever feel the call to be a hoax, please feel free to hang up on that individual and call us or stop by here to verify the caller’s authenticity," Chester police said.

Things to do to help prevent becoming a victim of fraud include:

• Do not click on unsolicited pop-ups or links sent via text message or email
• Do not open unsolicited attachments
• Do not call phone numbers provided in an unsolicited pop-up, text, or email
• Do not download software at the request of an unknown person who contacts you
• Do not allow an unknown person who contacts you to have control of your computer.

If you are a resident who feels you are a victim of fraud or attempted fraud, please contact the Chester Police Department at 908-879-5514.