On 10/16/2023 Astoria Police Department was notified that a person with an accent was calling from a “spoofed” number appearing as the Astoria Police Department’s non-emergency phone number, claiming to be the Chief of Police and claiming to be working with Homeland Security to collect a debt.  This is a scam.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a police officer, and asking you to move money, provide bank account pin information or in any other way send funds; it is a scam and you should hang up and report it to your local law enforcement agency.  Scammers may claim to be involved in undercover operations and claim they need your help or they may threaten arrest for non-compliance.  “This is not how legitimate police agencies operate”, said Deputy Chief Eric Halverson.  “Don’t provide any information, just hang up and call your local law enforcement agency”, Halverson said.