Honolulu police warn of scam involving fake ankle monitoring fees

How it works

A caller claiming to be a police officer contacts you by phone. They say you are enrolled in an ankle monitoring program and must pay a fee immediately. They create urgency by threatening arrest or other legal action if you do not comply right away.

Red flags to watch for

• Caller claims to be a police officer demanding immediate payment
• They reference ankle monitoring or court-ordered surveillance
• Threat of arrest or legal consequences if you do not pay now
• They ask for payment by wire transfer, gift card, or cash
• Legitimate agencies do not call demanding instant payment

What to do

Do not pay or give personal information to someone claiming to be police over the phone. Hang up immediately and call the Honolulu Police Department directly using the number on their official website to verify whether any monitoring fee exists. If you already paid, report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to local police.