Oregon State Police are warning people not to fall for phone scammers who seek money they claim is needed to drop criminal charges, clear warrants or avert arrest.

The recurring scam cropped up again recently in the state. Police said citizens reported receiving calls from men with foreign accents, identifying themselves as police and trying to arrange a monetary payment.

In reality, the calls are not from OSP or any other legitimate law enforcement agency or officer.

OSP stressed that it does not call individuals and demand money from citizens under any circumstances.

The Oregon Judicial Department advises that courts may use an independent collection service to collect unpaid monetary judgments and fines. If someone believes they are being scammed regarding an alleged unpaid traffic citation:

Ask the collector (caller) for information specific to the alleged unpaid traffic citation. They should have the court case number, date of ticket, vehicle license, location of violation and other information.

If the call receiver wants additional detail about the debt or to verify what the caller is telling them, they can call the OJD collections hotline at 1-888-564-2828.

People who receive a scam call are encouraged to disconnect without providing information and call OSP, the local police, or sheriffs office.