Chief's Corner - January - February 2026

January/February 2026 Edition 

Scam Alert

There has been an increase in residents receiving phone calls, usually from a blocked phone number, claiming that they are from either a local or federal law enforcement agency, often stating that they have a warrant for the person’s arrest, and in order to settle the warrant, they need to pay by exchanging cash at a Bitcoin station or by some other means. The caller may also ask for personal identifying information (i.e., social security number, date of birth, etc.).

Please note that this is a SCAM! NO law enforcement agency will call a resident to request a bond payment to resolve a warrant over the phone using Bitcoin or by any other means. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies will never request such transactions in person using Bitcoin.

To prevent becoming a victim of such scams I would strongly recommend the following:

• Never release any personal information over the phone.
• Never provide any financial information or authorize any financial transactions over the phone.
• Ask for the name, agency and contact information of the caller. If the caller provides the information, hang up immediately. If the caller refuses to provide this information, hang up immediately. DO NOT get into an argument with the caller.
• Report the incident to your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible.

Recently, Buchanan residents have been receiving in the mail a solicitation from the City of Buchanan requesting a tax-deductible gift for a police outreach and prize giveaway for up to $1,051,000 in cash through the U.S. Deputy Sheriff's Association. See attached scam letter.

Although the mail document may look legitimate, please note that this is a SCAM! The City of Buchanan Police Department does not solicit donations of any kind in this manner. We do have a process of seeking donations to support several programs that we host (i.e., Shop with A Cop).

To prevent becoming a victim of such scams I would strongly recommend the following:

• If you are not sure if the correspondence is legitimate, contact the police agency directly and ask about it.
• Never release any personal information through the mail or over the phone.
• Never provide any financial information or authorize any financial transactions over the phone or through the mail.
• Report the incident to your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible.

You can also learn more information about scams and other fraudulent financial activities by visiting the FBI’s website at fbi.gov or click this link FBI Common Scams and Fraud.