Phone Scam Warning

February 11, 2020

PHONE SCAM WARNING: We have received reports from St. Helens citizens today regarding a phone scam. The person making the phone call is demanding money from citizens and threatens to contact a Detective Thomas Williams with the St. Helens Police Department if the person does not pay the money. This is a phone scam.

Phone scams demanding money and threatening legal action are very common nowadays. We would like to remind you of the following phone safety tips:

• NEVER commit to making any kind of payment over the phone without first verifying the legitimacy of the call
• NEVER give personal information over the phone without first verifying the legitimacy of the call
• An unexpected phone call demanding money is a red flag
• Don’t believe your caller ID. Caller ID can be made to look like the phone call is coming from a company, government agency, or person that you are familiar with. If you receive an unexpected call demanding immediate payment or personal information, hang up the phone. You can always call the company, agency, or person back at a number that you know to be genuine to verify if you owe money.
• If you suspect a scam, but aren’t sure what to do, you can always call non-emergency dispatch at 503-397-1521 and ask to speak with an officer.