Scammers posing as law enforcement are calling Hinsdale households and demanding immediate payment over fabricated warrants, court judgments, and missed jury duty. The Hinsdale Police Department issued a warning Monday, June 22, telling residents the calls are fraudulent.
One dead giveaway: the callers are mispronouncing the town's name as "Hinesdale." That alone signals the person on the line is not local police, the department said.
The fraudsters are using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to spoof caller ID, making the calls appear to come from a legitimate local number. They claim residents owe money and must pay immediately or face arrest.
The department said it would never call residents to request payment for any legal matter.
Phone-based government impersonation scams are surging nationally. The Federal Trade Commission reported that such fraud cost older adults alone $375 million in 2024, a 47% jump from the prior year. The median individual loss for phone-initiated fraud was $2,210, according to the same FTC report. Older adults are among the most frequent targets of phone scams, though the Hinsdale advisory applies to all residents.
The department offered three steps for anyone who receives a suspicious call:
- Do not provide personal or financial information to unsolicited callers.
- Do not make payments based on phone demands.
- Verify any claim by calling the Hinsdale Police Department directly at 630-789-7070.
Residents who believe they have received one of these calls can contact the department at the same number.
