SPRINGFIELD — A man pretending to be a Springfield police officer has been calling people in Livingston and Ascension parishes claiming to be from the department's "civil division."

The department does not have a civil division, Police Chief James Jones said Wednesday in an online post.

In Springfield, the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office and the Livingston Justice of the Peace handle civil matters.

The phony officer has called himself Sgt. Blanched or Belcher and has asked people to buy Bitcoin. The calls come from the phone number 225-395-1977.

Jones said people should avoid giving personal information over the phone and should report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.