According to Alliance Police Lt. Jake Henion, “The Alliance Police Department has been made aware of several scams affecting area residents.  Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and convincing to their victims. One recent report involved the use of a phone number which appeared as if it was coming from the Alliance Police Department.  A separate complex scam involved the scammer posing as a legitimate company which sold vehicles. Scams that originate over the phone or internet are incredibly difficult to investigate, and are often being made by someone from outside of the United States.  The most important step in protecting yourself is safeguarding your assets. The Alliance Police Department encourages everyone to use extreme caution when passing on financial information over the phone or internet. Please keep the following information in mind to avoid falling victim to a scam.”

• The Alliance Police Department does not request credit card information over the phone.  
• If you suspect a caller is posing as a police officer or other local government official, hang up and call the police department directly at (308) 762-4955.
• The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text message, or social media channels.
• Do not purchase gift cards at the request of someone by phone call or email.
• Never give out personal information to someone by email or phone who is asking to “verify” your credit card number or bank account information.  
• Never wire or electronically send funds to a person you do not know.