Chief warns residents of circulating scams

The Gluckstadt Police Department has addressed two instances of false information this month.

Police Chief Barry Hale said they had received reports of a scam call claiming to be from local law enforcement. 

“The scammer falsely claims that there is a warrant for the recipient’s arrest and demands immediate payment or personal information to resolve the issue,” Hale said.

The police will never call you to demand payment for a warrant or threaten immediate arrest over the phone, Hale said. He went on to add legitimate law enforcement agencies do not request payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.

“If you receive such a call, hang up immediately. Do not provide any personal or financial information,” Hale said.

GPD released a social media post with some information concerning this and other potential scams on Jan. 15.

The other issue was a social media post circulating that claimed a person had paid their ticket online but still had to show up for court.

“Someone was circulating wrong information, and we wanted to clarify what was going on,” Hale said.

The Gluckstadt Police Department released its own statement on social media on Jan. 15, saying they were aware of the post circulating.

“We want to assure the community that these claims are not accurate and do not reflect the facts of the situation,” the statement reads in part. “While we respect the public’s right to share opinions and information, we encourage everyone to verify the accuracy of posts before sharing them further.”

The PD’s post goes on to say, “Our commitment remains to serve with transparency and integrity.” 

Hale encouraged anyone with questions or concerns about any matter involving law enforcement to contact the Gluckstadt Police Department at (769) 225-0144 or Municipal Court at (769) 567-2888.