MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Coon Rapids Police Warn Residents of Scam Caller Pretending to Be an Officer

Police say victims are falsely told they missed a court date and must surrender or pay money through cash or gift cards.

COON RAPIDS, MN (September 4, 2026). Coon Rapids police are warning residents about a telephone scam in which callers impersonate police officers and attempt to obtain cash or gift-card payments by claiming the person missed a court appearance.

The Coon Rapids Police Department said it received multiple reports of the scam Wednesday, September 2.

According to the city, the caller claims to be a Coon Rapids police officer and tells the resident that he or she failed to appear for a court date.

The resident is then told to either turn themselves in or pay a fine.

Payment is requested through cash or gift cards, and in some cases the scammer attempts to arrange for someone to pick up the cash directly.

Coon Rapids police emphasized that the department does not conduct business that way and will never ask residents to pay money over the telephone.

The department is urging residents to verify any unexpected demand for money before providing personal information or sending payment.

Police also recommend adopting a strict rule against using gift cards to satisfy government or business payment demands.

Legitimate government agencies do not require Apple, Google Play or retail gift cards to resolve warrants, missed court appearances or other legal matters.

The department additionally recommends reviewing social-media privacy settings because publicly available information such as birthdays, relatives' names and pet names can help scammers make fraudulent calls appear more convincing.

Coon Rapids police are also encouraging families to establish a private safe word that can be used to verify emergency calls from relatives.

That precaution has become increasingly relevant as artificial-intelligence voice-cloning tools make it possible for scammers to imitate the voices of family members.

Residents who receive a suspicious call should terminate it and independently contact the purported agency using a verified telephone number rather than one supplied by the caller.

The City of Coon Rapids can be reached at 763-755-2880.

The city is located at 11155 Robinson Drive NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55433.

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