February 22, 2022
Scammers Use Merch to Scheme Locals Who Would Support Police
Perpetrators are trying to lure people into buying T-shirts with local police department branding on them, but the law enforcement agencies have no connection with the initiatives and have called them scams.
Authorities from Iowa to Florida are warning of scams that center on attempts to sell branded T-shirts that purport to support local police, but that in reality have no connection to the law enforcement agencies.
The Davenport Police Department in Iowa this week told locals to be leery of a scheme that involves unknown actors sending a text message that invites recipients to click on a link to a website where they can buy shirts with the Davenport Department’s branding.
Police officers explained that the department is not selling shirts or other branded products, nor is it soliciting the public via text. The department has no association with the texts or the shirts and encouraged recipients to delete the messages without clicking the link or sharing any personal information.
“This is a scam,” the department stated in a Facebook post aimed at raising awareness about the scheme.
Essentially the same scam attempt was playing out in Florida, too.
Schemers were sending texts to people inviting them to click a link where they could purportedly buy T-shirts supporting the Clermont (FL.) Police Department. Local news reported that similar scam attempts were made in Florida’s Osceola and Marion counties.
Like their counterparts in Iowa, Clermont Police had no affiliation with the texts or attempted shirt sales.
“These are not being sold by our agency,” the department said in a Facebook post that showed an image of a shirt for sale. “The proceeds are not benefiting our agency or anyone within. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
It’s likely that perpetrators are attempting to advance similar scams in other municipalities throughout the U.S. Authorities cautioned folks to be skeptical when receiving unsolicited texts.
The Federal Trade Commission says of text spamming/scams: “Scammers send fake text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information – things like your password, account number, or Social Security number. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers.”