***Fraud Alert***

The Lancaster City Bureau of Police received a report and subsequently are conducting a criminal investigation into over the phone Fraud that included an alarming detail. A city resident was scammed out of $2,900.00 in Bitcoin after complying with the demands of a telephone caller. 

The resident was initially contacted from an out of state telephone number, and was advised that his social security number had been revealed due to a data breach. The resident was accused of committing a crime and directed to pay an amount of money to avoid criminal prosecution. The resident ended the call with the scammer. However, the resident then received a second call that showed on his caller ID that the Lancaster City Bureau of Police department was calling him. The number displayed is the Bureau's front desk number, 717 735-3300. The second caller demanded that the resident pay the above amount via secure Bitcoin transaction. The resident complied with the demand. 

Software exists that allows criminal scammers to "spoof" existing telephone numbers, such as the number to our front desk. Please be aware that this could happen. If you receive a similar call or demand from our front desk number, hang up with the scam caller and immediately call us back. We should quickly be able to sort out that this is a scam type of call and would be happy to take any reports involving this, or similar type behavior.