Centralia Police Issue Warning After Business Targeted by Impersonation Scam

CENTRALIA, Mo. — Local law enforcement is urging business owners and residents to remain vigilant following a deceptive phone scam that targeted a Centralia establishment on Saturday evening.

According to the Centralia Police Department, officers were alerted to the incident at approximately 7:24 p.m. Saturday. Investigators report that an unidentified individual contacted the business, posing as a county sheriff’s deputy. Using high-pressure tactics, the caller instructed an employee to remove cash from the business’s register and travel to various local retailers to convert the funds into prepaid gift cards.

In addition to the financial demand, the scammer solicited sensitive personal information from the staff member.

Authorities are using this incident to remind the public that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never request payment via prepaid gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Such demands are hallmark indicators of fraudulent activity.

"Law enforcement will never ask someone to pay using gift cards," the department stated in a formal advisory.

Police are encouraging anyone who receives a suspicious call of this nature to immediately hang up the phone. Rather than engaging with the caller, residents are urged to verify the legitimacy of the request by contacting the Centralia Police Department directly by dialing 311.

The investigation into the scam remains ongoing as police work to determine the origin of the calls. Business owners are advised to inform their employees of this potential threat and to establish clear internal protocols for handling suspicious communications.