UPDATED: Alpharetta Police Warn of Red Light Camera Scam

UPDATE: Alpharetta Public Safety spokesman George Gordon said the scam has escalated to callers telling local residents warrants already have been taken out against them and the court clerk has sent them a certified letter. The scammers say the intended victims must immediately go to a store to put money on a card and then share the card number with them.

Original Story

Alpharetta police officers are not calling North Fulton residents about red light camera citations, according to the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety. The calls are a scam and the department is issuing an alert to the general public.

Recently, a number of North Fulton residents have received telephone calls by persons identifying themselves as an Alpharetta police officer, according to George Gordon, spokesman for the department.

The person who takes the call is told to send monies to pay for a red light camera citation or they will be charged with contempt of court.  Gordon said the caller often uses the name of a valid Alpharetta police officer.

"At no time, will an Alpharetta police officer or any other public safety employee contact a person by telephone requesting money. No Alpharetta police officer would physically go to a residence or meet with any person in an effort to collect money," Gordon said in the scam alert.

For anyone who receives a red light camera citation, an Alpharetta police officer by law verifies the recorded infraction. Only the company vendor who operates the system will make initial contact with the person involved for the infraction.   

Alpharetta DPS is asking those individuals who are contacted using this scam to call their local law enforcement agency and to file an incident report. Please retain the telephone called from and any other information that may be useful to legitimate law enforcement officials.