Scammers impersonating Fort Smith officers

Telephone scammers are reportedly impersonating real officers and threatening residents, including teens and others.

Scammers have used the names of legitimate officers to try to extort money by threatening the victims specifically with the Tinder app, Fort Smith police report.

The scammer reportedly mentioned to one subject that he "had knowledge of the subject messaging an underage female." To another victim he claimed to "know the subject was sending inappropriate pictures." Both subjects said the scammer was trying to join a conference call with them, and if they didn't pay a certain amount, they were going to get charged, police report.

"No legitimate law enforcement officer would ever engage in these activities with the backing of their agency," a news release from Fort Smith police reports.

To make reports of such scams contact the FBI online at https://tips.fbi.gov/.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Fort Smith police investigate telephone scams impersonating officers