Baltimore Co. Police Warn Of Telephone Scam Using Police Phone Numbers
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Baltimore County Police Department is warning the public about a telephone scam that may show their police precinct phone numbers on caller ID.
Police were made aware of this scam after a man called one of their precincts to resolve an issue on his outstanding federal taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service.
The caller said he received a called from the precinct's phone number, and the scammer was a man with a foreign accent advising that he had outstanding taxes which needed to be paid.
The scammer then told the man to buy Google and other brand name gift cards to make the payment.
When the victim questioned the scammer, he became irate and began cursing at him, at which time the victim hung up the phone. The victim then called back the number on his caller ID and reached the Parkville Precinct.
Police say there are numerous apps that allow users to change the number displayed on another person's caller ID.
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