Scammer impersonates Savannah police chief

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Remember, if something feels off, it probably is.”

Savannah Police Department

Someone falsely claiming to be Savannah Police Chief Michael Pitts was involved in a scam which hit a local business, the city police department warned Wednesday.
According to police, someone using Chief Pitts’ name called the victimized business and stated they were with the business owner. An employee was instructed to get money from the cash register, purchase a prepaid card, and send it to them to verify that the money in the register wasn’t counterfeit.
The police department said in a public announcement that neither the SPD, nor its employees, will ever request sending cash for any reason. Even tickets are paid at Savannah City Hall in person or via the city’s website.
Savannah police offered a suggestion on how to deal with potential scammers in such an instance.
“If something feels off, you can always request that an SPD officer come to your location to meet face to face, or tell the person on the phone that you will meet them at the police department headquarters. In almost all cases, the scammer will protest and try to convince you that you do not need to come meet face to face,” the department said.
Then, hang up, call the police department at 731-925-3200 and ask to have the call transferred to the person who claims to be on the phone. Or, ask for an officer to come to your location.
“Remember, if something feels off, it probably is,” the department noted.