Fraudsters impersonating local police are calling would-be victims to demand payment of supposed “fines,” according to Attorney General Todd Rokita, and they are threatening arrest if the supposed fines are not paid immediately. Further, these perpetrators are tricking caller ID into displaying phone numbers actually associated with local law enforcement. 

“Scammers are always getting increasingly more sophisticated in their techniques,” Attorney General Rokita said. “They might use the names of actual officers or police departments in their attempts to make you think they’re in law enforcement, but it’s all a ruse. Just remember that real officers wouldn’t call you on the phone and threaten to arrest you if you hang up without paying.” 

This scam is occurring not just in Indiana but nationwide. Advancements in technology allow scammers inside and outside of the country to target essentially anyone. That is why staying vigilant is so important.   

As the Federal Trade Commission recently noted, some of these scam callers say they’ve confiscated a package with your name on it. They might say it’s filled with money, illegal drugs or weapons. To avoid being arrested, they might say, you must send cash, deposit money at a Bitcoin ATM, buy gift cards and give them the numbers, or send money over a payment app like Zelle, Cash App, or Venmo. 

When would-be victims pause long enough to think about the oddity of such demands, they realize that real law enforcement officers would not operate in this manner. Sometimes, though, panic and manufactured pressure overrides rational thought. 

Anyone receiving these kinds of calls should simply hang up. 

If you can’t help wondering whether the call is legitimate, then contact the local police agency using a website or phone number you know belongs to them. 

INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Mike Braun today released a report on his administration’s progress to replace the divisive DEI political ideology with the level playing field of MEI — Merit, Excellence, and Innovation. This report is the fulfillment of the Governor’s directive in his January 14, 2025, executive order.

DEI mandates are divisive and often lead to inefficiency by focusing decisions on a political goal rather than on the goal of achieving the best outcomes for Hoosier taxpayers.

“Indiana has replaced the divisive, politically-charged DEI ideology with Merit, Excellence, and Innovation: a level playing field where every single Hoosier has the chance to get ahead with hard work.” – Governor Mike Braun 

The executive order directed executive state agencies to review their DEI positions, departments, activities, procedures, and programs for compliance with the decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, a landmark Supreme Court case regarding race-based admissions and an update on how those programs have been revised or eliminated to comply with the executive order.

Governor Braun is releasing that report today, which outlines:

• 350+ examples of DEI initiatives in state government programs.
• 70 cases of DEI training, instruction, or programing for state employees which have been eliminated.
• Hundreds of hours of time that will no longer be spent on DEI trainings and can now be spent on serving Hoosier taxpayers.
• 34 grants within Indiana State Agencies that were conditioned on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which all Hoosiers can now compete for.
• 200 DEI initiatives in state agency policy and procedures which will now prioritize the values of merit, excellence, and innovation that bring us together rather than the things that divide us.