ALERT!!!
BEWARE OF SCAMS
PLEASE SHARE
La Porte Police have received multiple reports of four (4) active scams targeting our community. Please read carefully and help spread the word!
#1 PHONE WARRANT SCAM
Scammers are calling residents pretending to be from the La Porte Police Department. The caller ID may even show our department’s name or number, but these calls are NOT from us.
They claim you have an active warrant and must pay immediately to avoid arrest. They may ask you to:
• Buy gift cards
• Make payments over the phone
• Share personal or financial information
The La Porte Police Department will NEVER:
• Call to request or collect money
• Ask you to purchase gift cards or make phone payments
• Handle court issues over the phone
#2 GIFT CARD SCAMS
Gift card scams work by tricking victims into buying a gift card and sharing the card details so scammers can steal the money or make purchases. It usually starts with scammers contacting you and claiming there’s an urgent need to send money, then demanding payment in the form of gift cards — often from brands like Amazon or Walmart — because they’re fast and hard to trace.
There are two main types:
1 – Gift Card Payment Scams – Also called “imposter scams,” where criminals pose as an authority, family member, tech support agent, or government official. They may claim:
• You haven’t paid taxes
• You’re behind on mortgage or utility bills
• You owe speeding tickets or other debts
They use high-pressure tactics to make you panic and prevent you from thinking clearly, then demand you send an electronic gift card, share the number and PIN, or recharge a gift card balance. REMEMBER, you should never have to give money to get money!
2 – Gift Card Draining – Fraudsters steal funds directly from cards by tampering with them in stores, hacking gift card databases, or taking over online accounts to spend unused balances—often without ever contacting the victim.
#3 RENTAL PROPERTY SCAM
We’ve also seen several cases of scammers posting fake rental listings on sites like Facebook Marketplace or Rently.
• They steal photos/descriptions from real listings but change the contact info.
• They message you via Messenger, text, or email to build trust.
• They may invite you to see the property—even trespassing—to seem legitimate.
• They demand payment via cash, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Western Union, or MoneyGram, then disappear.
Victims who send money rarely get it back. Scammers often use new or hacked accounts that vanish quickly.
#4 BANK AND GOVERNEMNT AGENCY SCAMS
Scammers will call and say that your bank account is in danger due to fraudulent activity, etc. The caller may say they are a bank representative or a federal agent. They tell the victim to move funds from their existing account into another account that has been set up for them. The suspects may even send a courier to the victim’s residence or set up a meeting spot to pick up funds. On some occasions the suspect(s) will also instruct the victim to obtain gift cards adding up to a certain dollar amount and request the codes from the back of the cards, then the money is theirs.
OTHER SCAMS TO BE AWARE OF
Some scams involve a message or banner on the victim’s cell phone or computer. The message is that the victim’s device has been hacked. The scammers may have a phone number or a link to click on to resolve the issue. Never call these numbers or click the links provided. Always pause, think it through and if need be contact a reliable source to verify information. Ex. Don’t just take for granted that the message is legitimate and from Apple, Microsoft, etc. Contacting the respective company using a number or source you know is legitimate is recommended.
Some scammers will send messages to victims saying the victim has visited inappropriate websites, and the scammer has video of the victim in a compromising situation, while viewing the websites. Then the scammer will demand a ransom, or they will release/publish the video of the victim.
PROTECT YOURSELF:
Hanging up on suspicious calls—do NOT give personal information.
• Verify any rental through official property management or realtor channels.
• Never pay fines, bills, or deposits with gift cards.
• Remember: Official court and warrant notices are handled by mail or in person—never by phone demanding payment.
Please SHARE this post to protect friends, family, and neighbors. Let’s keep La Porte safe and scam-free!
