Towards the end of 2017, Troopers were made aware of a phone scam affecting many citizens of Louisiana. Scammers were fraudulently using the authority of Louisiana State Police in an effort to obtain money from victims. The public was informed through a press release and social media posts, but following several recent complaints Troopers wish to make the public aware that various phone scams are still occurring.

In November of last year, several complainants stated that impersonators contacted the phones of potential victims by using a call that gave the appearance of originating from a Louisiana State Police phone number. The complainants stated that the caller pretended to be law enforcement, and attempted to get them to give up personal information over the phone. Several recent complainants have made LSP aware of a new scam in which impersonators call potential victims stating that they are working on a fundraiser for either Louisiana State Police or “Troopers.”

Troopers stress that citizens should never give unsolicited callers any personal information, and the Louisiana State Police would never ask for any type of payment, monetary donation, or personal information over the phone. People should be aware that there are numerous organizations across the US that solicit monetary donations on behalf of police organizations, but LSP is not affiliated with any of these. Citizens should research charitable organizations carefully before deciding to send money to them.

Troopers urge citizens who receive suspected fraudulent calls to contact the Louisiana State Analytical and Fusion Center (LA-SAFE) at 225-925-4192.