FBI cautions about phone 'spoofing' scam

Pittsburgh FBI officials said there is an ongoing telephone scam in which a caller portrays themselves as a special agent and the phone number shows up on caller ID as the FBI.

The scam caller tells victims their identity has been compromised and used to open fraudulent bank accounts and send suspicious money transfers overseas, according to Pittsburgh FBI spokesperson Catherine Coennen.

Victims have been asked to “prove their identity” by purchasing money cards with funds from their bank accounts and sending other personal information, with a promise that the money will be returned at a face-to-face meeting.

To date, FBI officials have seen scams with losses ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 consisting of:

• Calls from local law enforcement stating an individual has fines for outstanding warrants, or that the court is holding them in contempt for failure to appear for jury duty

• Requests for monetary gift cards, bank deposits and voucher purchases to clear court fines or avoid jail time

• Requests for videos or pictures of individuals

To report a call or message, call 800-225-5324 or go to tips.fbi.gov.