Burlington police warn of rising fraud scams targeting residents

Burlington police are warning residents to be on guard after a steady stream of fraud complaints showed increasingly polished scams reaching people by phone, text message, email, social media and online marketplaces. Investigators say the pattern is broad enough to catch many victims off guard, and the most troubling tactic is impersonation: criminals are pretending to be government agencies, banks, utility companies and law enforcement to create pressure and force a fast decision.

Police say the fake claims are built to trigger fear and confusion. A resident may be told there is a warrant, that a utility bill is overdue or that a financial account has been compromised, then be pushed toward gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps or other forms of payment that are hard to recover once sent. The department has not tied the warning to one case, but described it as an ongoing trend affecting multiple people in Burlington.

The Burlington Police Department is urging residents to slow down, question any caller or message demanding money or private information, and verify the request through a trusted phone number or an official website before taking action. Police also say not to trust caller ID, not to allow remote access to devices for strangers and to contact police directly if something feels off. The department’s public crime-prevention page specifically addresses fraud and identity theft and says it offers tips to help people avoid scams.

Burlington police also say many non-emergency crimes can be reported through the department’s online crime-reporting system. Anyone with information about fraud can call the Burlington Police Department at 336-229-3500. Anonymous tips in Alamance County can also go to Alamance County-Wide Crimestoppers at 336-229-7100 or through the P3 Tips app.

The warning lines up with a June 2025 alert from the Federal Trade Commission, which said scammers were impersonating local law enforcement and faking caller ID to pressure people into paying. North Carolina consumer-protection officials say the state Department of Justice responds to about 20,000 consumer complaints each year and has helped consumers recover more than $100 million and win $250 million in utility-rate savings between 2017 and 2024. For utility-related complaints, the NC Public Staff says residents can contact the Attorney General’s office at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM, or 1-877-566-7226.