WESTPORT–Beware of a scam in which a caller claims to be a member of the town police department “warning” you that you have missed a court date or jury duty and must pay a fine immediately.

The police have received “numerous inquiries and official complaints” about the calls, the department said today in an advisory.

The caller or callers give varying ranks and names, as well as circumstances. But the bottom line is the claim that you must pay now, typically with a Green Dot card – a reloadable, prepaid money card – purportedly to receive a new court date.

The Westport Police Department will not call you to demand payment for missing jury duty or a court date, the advisory said. It offered these tips:

• Never provide personal or financial information to unsolicited, unverified callers.
• Be cautious of anyone creating a sense of urgency or requesting payment by gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfer or other unusual methods.

“Should you receive a call like this, please hang up immediately,” the advisory said.

If you question the authenticity of a caller claiming to be a Westport police officer, contact the police department directly at its non-emergency number, (203) 341-6000, to check.

“The origins of these scam calls are being investigated, however that will not stop them from being made,” the advisory said. “So we ask that you please help protect your family, friends, and neighbors by sharing this information.”