Crime Alert

Nov 20, 2018

Please be on alert for phone calls from individuals impersonating businesses such as your local utility or gas company, the Internal Revenue Service, and even government entities such as Police and Fire departments.  These scam callers have the ability to spoof telephone numbers through various computer programs, which makes it appear the calls are coming from a legitimate business.  They may attempt to scare or intimidate the person answering the call to provide banking information, credit card information, or other personal information that could be used for monetary gain.  In some cases, the scam caller acts as a fundraiser and may use local police, fire, or political information to solicit donations.  We urge you to NEVER provide personal information over the telephone, specifically your credit card or banking information, and encourage you to vet any organization that you wish to donate money to.  Unfortunately, these calls have become increasingly popular and the criminal element has become more sophisticated in their practice of stealing information. If you believe you may be a victim of a spoofing scam, hang up immediately and you can file a complaint at the following Federal Communications Commission link or contact our department (314-993-1214) to speak with an officer who can answer questions and offer assistance with filing the complaint.

https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/spoofing-and-caller-id