Anne Arundel County Police warn of phone scam soliciting money from victims

BALTIMORE -- Anne Arundel County Police are warning residents of a recent phone call scam after multiple reports.

According to reports received by police, a caller who identified himself as "Captain Lamar Jones" told recipients they missed jury duty and must pay fines to avoid arrest.

Anne Arundel County Police issued a list of signs of potential scam calls: 

• The caller will play on your emotions and try to get you to act quickly.
• The caller will ask you to pay by gift card or electronic transfer
• The caller claims to be a member of a law enforcement agency, government entity, or utility, saying there is a problem involving you or an account you manage.
• The caller will ask you to stay on the phone while you purchase gift cards or conduct a transaction. They will make every effort to keep you on the phone by playing on your fears and emotions.
• The caller asks for personally identifiable information such as dates of birth, addresses, or social security numbers. 𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓 provide this information during a phone call you did not initiate.    

To avoid scams, police have several suggestions. First, do not send gift cars to someone claiming to be from a government agency.  

If you think the call may be legitimate, call the agency directly - but do not use the number provided by the caller. 

If the caller suggests one of your loved ones is in trouble, call the loved one directly.  

Finally, never send money or gift cards to the caller.  

If you realize a call is a scam, note the details and contact the police. 

You can learn more information about phone scams by visiting the FTC website.