More “Spoofing” scams are being reported in Illinois
The Illinois State Police is warning the public today that Scammers are now using local area State Police District telephone numbers to scam victims.
Various ISP districts throughout the state have received reports from citizens stating they have received calls from individuals claiming to be members of the Illinois State Police seeking their personal information.
It has also been reported the callers claim there is some police matter that needs to be resolved. Sergeant Joey Watson with the State Police says that scammers use these tactics to try and scare their victim into going along with the scam.
“Typically what is happening, people are seeking personal information. The individual calling has a foreign accent and is claiming to be a member of the State Police. They are trying to get information saying that it is a police matter that needs to be resolved, so that generates fear within the victim. They feel like they have to tell the police, this and this and this….”
Concerned citizens have also reported the telephone number where the call originated, matched the ISP District telephone number.
This type of scam is a common technique known as “spoofing.” Spoofing occurs when a telephone number is manipulated and disguised to look like an alternate telephone
number of a person’s choosing. Usually the number is disguised to match the telephone number of a government agency that would typically gather personal information in the performance of their duties.
Sergeant Watson says that the State Police will only call under certain circumstances.
“We are not going to call and ask for stuff over the phone that would be personal in nature. Unless it is a follow up to a traffic crash or some sort of investigation that we are conducting, and event if that is the case, we are never going to ask for your social security number over the phone.”
The ISP announcement comes just a day after the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office in Springfield warned of similar “Spoofing” calls occurring in the area by scammers posing as sheriff’s office employees.
State Police Officials say that If you receive a call from and ISP Trooper claiming to be calling from an ISP District, request the name of the caller and advise that you will call them back.
Look up the ISP District phone number they claim to be calling from, then call the number and ask to speak to the Trooper whose name you were given. If there is not a Trooper by that name, please advise the call taker of the incident that just occurred.
ISP District telephone numbers can be found on the ISP website: www.isp.state.il.us