FROM STAFF REPORTS

MONTEVALLO – The Montevallo Police Department is warning citizens of an ongoing telephone scam in which the caller claims to be a Montevallo Police officer and threatens to arrest individuals for unpaid loans.

According to Montevallo Police, a man calls residents and identifies himself as a Montevallo Police officer named Adam Smith.

The Montevallo Police Department does not have an officer by the name of Adam Smith, stated a release from Interim Police Chief Jeremy Littleton.

The phone scam, which is called “spoofing,” appears to come from the Montevallo Police phone number, 665-1264, Littleton wrote.

According to the release, the caller tells individuals that they have unpaid payday loans, and he demands various amounts of money. He then threatens that federal arrest warrants will be obtained for all individuals who refuse to pay or comply. For the individuals that agree to pay, he instructs them to go to a Wal-Mart location and call him back on one of several different out of state numbers.

“We, the Montevallo Police Department, would like to make you aware that at no time will any law enforcement agency ever call citizens demanding money,” the release stated. “You should be very careful when talking to individuals like this not to give them any of your personal information. Never agree to send any money or give any financial information to the caller. Always know that you should never have to contact your local authorities on an out-of-state phone number.”