The Hawaii Police Department is warning the public about an elaborate scam after a local resident lost a substantial amount of money to scammers posing as federal law enforcement officials.

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The victim received a telephone call from an individual claiming to represent the Federal Communications Commission. The caller falsely claimed the victim’s telephone number had been linked to a criminal investigation and transferred the victim to another individual posing as an officer with the Washington, D.C., Police Department.

The victim was instructed to download WhatsApp to continue communicating with the suspects.

Over the following weeks, the scammers convinced the victim that he was the subject of a money laundering investigation, that an arrest warrant had been issued, that his bail had been set at $1.75 million, and that he faced seven to 15 years in prison unless he cooperated.

The victim ultimately transferred money through multiple wire transfers before realizing he had been the victim of a scam.

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Police remind the public that government agencies will never instruct you to communicate exclusively through WhatsApp or another messaging application as part of a criminal investigation; demand money to avoid arrest; require payment of bail through wire transfers or cryptocurrency; instruct individuals to keep an investigation secret from family members; instruct someone to purchase a prepaid cellular telephone; or instruct individuals to transfer money to another account for “verification” or “safekeeping.”

Scammers commonly create fear and urgency by threatening arrest, criminal prosecution, frozen bank accounts or seizure of assets. They often use official-sounding titles, convincing stories and prolonged communication to gain a victim’s trust.

Anyone who thinks they might have been the victim of a similar scam is encouraged to contact the police nonemergency line at (808) 935-3311. Scam prevention safety tips can also be found on the Hawaii Police Department website at hawaiipolice.gov.

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