(COLORADO SPRINGS) — FBI Denver is warning those in Colorado Springs to be on alert for a telephone spoofing scam, where callers are portraying themselves as a special agent.
According to FBI Denver, the callers are “spoofing” or faking the FBI Colorado Springs’ main number, so the call appears to be coming from the FBI on caller ID.
In recent instances, victims are being told their identity and/or bank accounts have been compromised, according to FBI Denver.
Here’s how the scammers are doing this:
- The caller tells the victims they need to immediately move their money to gift cards or cryptocurrency.
- The caller then asks for information that will verify this has been done and that information is used to then steal those funds.
So far, FBI Denver said it has identified victims with losses ranging from $940 to $13,000.
No victims from Colorado or Wyoming have been impacted, however, people outside of FBI Denver’s area of responsibility, have. “Know that law enforcement will never call you and ask you to transfer money to gift cards; they won’t advise you to move financial accounts into cryptocurrency,” wrote FBI Denver.
Tips from the FBI to avoid becoming a victim:
- Be Vigilant: Never share personal identifying information with a caller with whom you have not initiated contact or have not verified as legitimate.
- Do Your Research: To check out someone who purports to be from the FBI, find the phone number of the local FBI field office and call that number directly. The field office will verify any legitimate contact.
If you think you have been a victim of this scam, report it at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
Credit: Source link
