October 5, 2024

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to make the public aware of a telephone scam. In the past month, some incidents have been reported across the state. In each case, a suspect contacted an individual associated with someone who was involved in a motor vehicle crash, identified themselves as the investigating trooper and attempted to solicit money from the victim. The suspect may intimidate the victim with false claims of impending or nonexistent court charges/proceedings.

The public should understand Patrol employees will not contact individuals and solicit funds or demand any form of payment. Furthermore, the Patrol employees do not process bonds or accept money to prevent or dispose of charges.

If a person asks you to send your money anywhere, you should assume it’s a scam. Take your time verifying the information by calling phone numbers you locate yourself on verified websites. You should not confirm any identifying information about yourself to the scammer.

If you or someone you know have been contacted in a similar manner, please report the incident to your local Troop Headquarters.

Follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on X @MSHPTrooperDDCC.