Normal Police warning local residents of scam impersonating officers

Posted on July 9, 2024

*Normal Police Officer Brad Park spoke with WJBC’s Neil Doyle. (Photo courtesy: NPD/File)*

By Blake Haas

NORMAL – Police in Normal want the public to be aware of scams that portray officers on the department’s force.

The scammers claim the victims have unpaid parking tickets and threaten arrest while using a shift supervisor’s name.

“One thing people need to understand is, we will never, no police agency, will ever reach out and threaten to arrest people over the phone,” NPD Community Services Officer Brad Park told WJBC’s Neil Doyle.

A lot of times what we see with those is they (scammers) will make it where you need to pay a fine with a gift card.”

According to Officer Park, his department frequently receives calls from victims in Normal.

More often than not, Park said the calls are spoofed numbers from overseas.

Therefore, the department does not have a way to track the numbers.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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