Two weeks ago, KVOE News told you about a spoofing scam targeting phone lines of federal government offices. The Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City office says HSI numbers have been used recently in this scam category.
Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Kansas City Taekuk Cho says it’s “almost unheard of” that government officials will call residents, so people receiving calls allegedly from his agency or other federal agencies need to end the call as soon as possible, find the official agency phone number and call to make sure they are talking with an actual federal official.
Cho also says Homeland Security Investigations will not call to demand personal identifying information or money payments. Spoofers do their best to get or confirm personal information, and they do so through various methods — including telling prospective victims they have already been victimized by identity theft before the call. The scams usually threaten victims with arrest unless they pay the scammers.
Residents who believe they have been spoofed can call the HSI’s Office of Inspector General hotline at 800-323-8603 or file a complaint online at oig.dhs.gov.
