Stated Cox, "Many people rely on Caller ID as a way to shield their privacy. Unfortunately, scammers are taking advantage of this protective technology as a way to make bogus phone calls appear to be coming from legitimate sources."
This warning comes in response to reports of a recent scam in which residents of the Washington, D.C. area received information over Caller ID stating that calls they were receiving originated from a District Courthouse. In this particular scam, the identity thieves tricked individuals by telling them that they had failed to report for jury duty and that they could face fines or arrest for their failure to have served. In an attempt to prove their innocence, several victims of the scam provided sensitive personal information to the callers.
"It is necessary to issue this warning before a similar Caller ID scam hits Michigan. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of never providing sensitive personal information to a stranger who calls you over the telephone," said Cox.
