Here’s a scam alert issued this weekend by Everett Police after reports of scanners “Spoofing” legit phone numbers.
A warning about scammers spoofing legitimate phone numbers to collect fake debts.
Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Scammers often use spoofing to make it appear that an incoming call is coming from a government agency that you may already know and trust. If you answer, they use scam scripts to try to steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity.
Recently the Everett Municipal Court has advised us they have received phone calls from citizens who have received a spoofing call from their number. Most reported they were told they had a warrant and needed to pay to have it quashed or the FBI would come to their home and arrest them.
SPOOFING PREVENTION TIPS:
You may not be able to tell right away if an incoming call is spoofed. Be extremely careful about responding to any request for personal identifying information.
-If you answer the phone and the caller or a recording asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this trick to identify potential targets.
-Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes” or “No.”
-Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.
-If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request. You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.
-Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.
November 8, 2022
Police Blotter