Scammer posing as law enforcement targets Grand Traverse County residents

A Grand Traverse County woman lost $9,000 after scammers posing as law enforcement told her there was a warrant out for her arrest, ordered her not to hang up or contact anyone else, and demanded gift cards. The county, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office and the Traverse City Police Department are warning residents to verify any such call through official channels before giving up money or personal information.

Seniors are often the target of thieves and scams. The sheriff’s office maintains a Known Scams page, and the Traverse City Police Department’s Fraud Resources page includes a scam-and-fraud brochure and reporting links to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and USA.gov.

The Federal Trade Commission warned in a consumer alert in June 2025 that scammers are impersonating local law enforcement. Michigan State Police followed with a July 9, 2026 warning about callers posing as sergeants, detectives or other officers, telling people there was a warrant out for their arrest, instructing them not to hang up or contact anyone else, and demanding gift cards from a local grocery store.

Seasonal visitors and older adults can be especially vulnerable when the caller uses a calm, official tone and pressures them to act before they can think.

Anyone who gets a call like this should hang up, avoid sharing personal or financial information, and verify the claim by contacting the sheriff’s office or police department through a number found independently, not one given by the caller. Law enforcement will never demand payment over the phone, especially by gift cards or money orders, and any caller insisting on immediate payment should be treated as a scam.