Tinley Park, IL – Local residents are being cautioned by the Tinley Park Police Department about a rise in phone scams involving illegal spoofing techniques. Scammers are manipulating caller IDs to appear as familiar local numbers or impersonating credible entities like utilities or government agencies to deceive victims.
The police have issued guidelines to help residents protect themselves:
- Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers.
- End calls immediately if the identity of the caller is suspicious.
- Ignore instructions to press buttons during a call, which could lead to more spam.
- Always verify unexpected calls by contacting the organization directly through trusted channels.
- Remain vigilant against callers requesting personal information or urgent payments.
Residents are encouraged to report any instances of spoofing to the police, as well as to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for further action. More information on protecting oneself from such scams can be found at fcc.gov/spoofing.
