We have recently been made aware of “caller ID spoofing” reports in our community. Recent reports include calls from phone numbers of City of Buena Vista government offices. Spoofing occurs when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. If you answer, they use scam scripts to try to steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity.

Before giving out any personal information or agreeing to any payment, you should independently verify that the call is legitimate. If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request. You will usually get a written statement in the mail before you get a phone call from a legitimate source, particularly if the caller is asking for a payment.

See the infographic below or visit https://www.fcc.gov/spoofing to learn more.