PORTLAND, Maine — The U.S. Marshals Service in Maine is warning the public about recent phone scams.
The scams reportedly involve individuals who claim to be U.S. Marshals or other federal officials, the U.S. Marshals Service said in a news release.
"During these calls, scammers are 'spoofing' actual U.S. Marshals office phone numbers attempting to fraudulently collect money or suffer legal consequences," the release said. "The scammers claim potential victims need to 'pay a fine or post bond' or face being arrested, losing their property, banking accounts or other consequences."
The clever scammers also use several convincing tactics which may include citing publicly available information of prospective victims, such as old home addresses and phone numbers, in order to appear credible, according to the release.
"They may also provide fictitious information such as law enforcement badge and case numbers, [and] names of actual law enforcement officials to further appear legitimate," the U.S. Marshals Service said Friday.
Additionally, the U.S. Marshals Service said may also spoof phone numbers to make them appear on caller IDs as if they are calling from a government agency.
The agency urges Mainers to remain cautious if they receive any calls similar to the reported scams. If you believe you have received a scam call of this nature, contact the agency in question directly from verified websites to authenticate the information, the release stated.
"If you believe you were a victim of such a scam, you are encouraged to report the incident to your local FBI office and to the FTC," the U.S. Marshals Service said.
The agency offered the following tips to always keep in mind when remaining vigilant about scam calls:
- The U.S. Marshals Service will never ask for credit, debit, or gift card numbers, wire transfers, or bank routing numbers for any purpose
- Never divulge personal or financial information to unknown callers
- Report scam phone calls to your local FBI office and the Federal Trade Commission; you can remain anonymous when you report
- You can also report similar crimes to your local police department
"If you believe you are a victim of fraud, report the incident through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov," the release said. "Also, you should report online, business, or phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) immediately at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov."