As phone scammers pose as Ky. agents, attorney general calls for FCC action to reduce robocalls

RICHMOND, Ky. (WKYT) – A monthly report estimates that Kentucky received 53.6 million robocalls in October alone, prompting Attorney General Russell Coleman to join a bipartisan letter calling for FCC action to curb the number reduce robocalls.

Makenzie Davis with the Richmond Police Department says it’s not uncommon for them to encounter scams that target the community for their money or private information.

“Here in Richmond, it’s kind of coming and going — kind of the same scam going around,” said Davis, who serves as an administrative support specialist.

But this latest scam even poses as an officer in an attempt to defraud unsuspecting citizens.

“They used Officer Faulkner’s name, used their badge number and even went so far as to set up a voicemail that sounded like Officer Faulkner,” Davis said.

The same tactic was also used in Boyle County this week when someone posed as former Sheriff Derek Robbins.

“Scammers are getting really crafty and trying to use those scare tactics and make you feel like you actually have to respond to things like a text message that normally would never come from an officer,” Davis said.

Coleman joined 46 other attorneys general in calling for improvements to the Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD), saying, “Bad actors who target the vulnerable with illegal robocalls have no place in Kentucky.”

Davis hopes this will help them see a decrease in incidents.

“It’s nice to know that some higher powers are trying to take action,” Davis said.

But she knows these scams will continue to pop up one way or another, so she urges residents to remain vigilant if you answer the phone.

“Never click on something you don’t know, or something that seems too good to be true – it probably is,” Davis said.

Richmond police say they will never normally contact citizens via text, and Davis says if you ever want to verify if an officer is trying to reach you, you can call their non-emergency reporting line at 859-624-4776.