The Buffalo Township police department’s phone number was recently used in a scam, and officials are cautioning people to report similar incidents to them.

Chief Terry Derringer described the scam as “sophisticated,” as the department’s number and voicemail are clearly used to scare people into handing over money.

“They actually copied the recording I set up for the police department,” he said. “It does seem legit for a phone scam.”

Derringer indicated in a news release that on Monday, April 29, a woman received a phone call from someone claiming to be from a federal agency.

The caller told the woman she was suspected of using drug money to make purchases, and told her to retrieve $6,000 from the bank and not telling bank staff what the money was for.

The caller then told the woman she would be arrested if she did not comply, according to the release. The woman then received a fraudulent phone call from the Buffalo Township police’s number telling her to come to the station with an attorney or be arrested.

“As of right now, we’ve only received one call,” Derringer said of the scam.

He cautioned residents not to respond to the calls, and instead to report them in-person at the station at 109 Bear Creek Road in Sarver, or call 911 and request a Buffalo Township officer to respond.

“I just want people to be aware,” Derringer said. “They do call back, and when they call back a second time, it’s actually our number.”