Costly Phone Scam Resurfaces, Morris Co. Cops Ask Residents To Beware

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Residents are asked to keep a lookout for shady calls from people claiming to be the Chief of Police in their respective towns.

According to the Mount Olive Police Department, a resurfaced phone scam is affecting Mount Olive and surrounding townships.

The scammers claim to be the Chief of Police and proceed to ask targets for personal banking information.

Additionally, the scammers are “spoofing” their caller ID, appearing to be calling from the “Mount Olive Police Department,” or whichever town the recipient is.

“If you’re ever uncertain of who you are communicating with, either online or over the phone, it is best practice to contact the entity through their official website or phone number,” a Mount Olive police statement read. “As a reminder, residents are advised to never share personal information over the phone unless they have verified who they are speaking with.”

Police ask anyone who suspects they are being targeted by this scam to hang up and call their real police department. Mt. Olive police can be reached at 973-691-0850.

The Morris County Sheriff’s Office warned residents of the scam back in 2019, and since then, it has resurfaced every few years.

See Related: Phone Scammers Are Impersonating Cops And Morris Co. Sheriff's Deputies, Officials Say

“Always feel free to say no and hang up," Morris County Sheriff James Gannon said in a 2019 statement. "It's not rude, it's shrewd."