Somerset Police Chief warns residents of a U.S Government phone scam

Somerset Police Chief Todd Costa wants to warn residents of a phone scam that may impact local residents.

The U.S. Marshals Service Massachusetts District issued a press release earlier this week stating fraudulent callers may contact members of the public and say that they are working with or for agents of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection union as well as U.S. Marshals Service in Massachusetts.

With some general information such as the victims name, addresses or names of relatives, the imposters claim that a package was intercepted at the Texas border containing drugs or weapons inside and then attempt to have the victim share bank account information.

In addition, victims sometimes receive a second call from what appears to be a Massachusetts Marshals office in Boston (617) 748-2400. According to the U.S. Marshalls Service, this tactic is known as “spoofing,” where phone scammers use an existing software technology to modify what number actually appears on the victim’s caller ID.

Chief Costa warns residents that scams of this nature are, unfortunately, becoming increasingly more common.

“They are designed to prey on people’s emotions. It is important to remember that a law enforcement agency will never demand that you divulge personal financial information over the telephone. If you suspect you are being scammed, hand up and call your local police department immediately.”

If you feel you have received a similar call, the U.S. Marshalls Service recommends you report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.