YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Police Department is warning the public that someone is making scam phone calls to citizens asking them to pay fines over the phone.

The scam calls can look real because of the phone number being used, but neither the Youngstown Police Department or any other government agency will call to collect money over the phone, ask you to purchase gift cards, request personal identifying information or pictures of your ID or passport, or other such action, Capt. Jason Simon, head of the detective division of the Youngstown Police Department, said in a press release.

Simon stated that the police department has learned that in the last several days, someone has been making such scam calls, typically introducing themselves as a Youngstown Police Department employee asking for the person to pay fines over the phone or saying the person has a warrant for their arrest or have been indicted “or other legal jargon meant to confuse” someone, Simon stated.

Simon advised that citizens should tell the callers they’ll call the Youngstown Police Department (or the agency they’re pretending to be from) back and ask for them by name.

That will help citizens be sure of who they’re talking with and providing information to an actual employee of the agency, Simon stated.