LEWISTON — Police are advising the public of a bold scam in which fraudsters pretend to be Lewiston police officers while trying to coax money out of local residents.

Police said on Monday that they’ve received several reports of scammer using actual officer names in their attempts to shake down unsuspecting victims.

“Claiming there’s an outstanding warrant for an unpaid traffic ticket or other violation, police impostors threaten immediate arrest unless you promptly pay a supposed fine,” according to a notice put out Monday afternoon. “Sometimes they demand your credit card number. The threat is typically made by phone, using readily available ‘spoofing’ software that makes your Caller ID falsely show that the call comes from the local police department. Reality: Police neither give advance warning of arrests nor solicit money for unpaid fines. If you really owe, you’ll be mailed a court summons or other official notification you can verify.”

It was not immediately clear how many people have been targeted, though in one Facebook thread several people reported getting phone calls from people claiming to be from Lewiston police or other departments.