17-05-2025
Hampden County Sheriff alerts public to new dangerous phone scheme
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – In Hampden County, Sheriff Nick Cocchi is warning residents about a dangerous new phone scam.
The scam is where callers falsely claim the person is a witness in a murder case and has failed to appear in court.
The scammer pressures the individual to pay a fine or submit to a court-ordered DNA swab to avoid arrest or further legal trouble. Cocchi says if someone were a witness to a serious crime, they would have been contacted by the DA's office, not by someone over the phone.
Scammers have also claimed you missed jury duty, owe legal fees, or have an active warrant.
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