Police: Scam caller pretending to be local detective demanded ‘fine’ money

North Mankato Police are investigating a phone scam in which a caller posed as a local detective demanding money for fines.

A press release from Chief Ross Gullickson says the scammer called a North Mankato resident claiming to be Investigator Marc Chadderdon with the Nicollet County Sheriff’s Office.  Chadderdon is actually a Nicollet County Sheriff’s detective.

The caller told the victim they had missed grand jury duty and had to pay a $2,000 fine or face arrest.  The victim was also told that they would be considered “non-compliant” and would be arrested if they hung up the phone, according to the release.

Gullickson says scammers can be very convincing, easily leading people to think they are legitimate by using threats and coercion.  “If you ever receive an unsolicited phone call from someone who demands personal information, money, gift cards, or some other type of monetary instrument, it is a scam, he says.  “Hang up the phone.”

Last month, Blue Earth County officials held a presentation on scammers and their tactics amid rising phone scams in the area.