Officials Warn of Scammers Impersonating FBI, BCA in Minnesota

ST. PAUL (WJON News) -- Public safety officials are warning Minnesotans about a new phone scam circulating in the state.

The FBI and Minnesota BCA say scammers are impersonating law enforcement using spoofing technology. Authorities say the scammers are able to imitate FBI and BCA numbers to make the line they are actually calling from look official on caller ID.

Once they have you on the line, the scammers will claim to be agents conducting an investigation and try to get sensitive information such as your social security number, banking information, and home address. Officials say both agencies do have to reach out to residents from time to time during investigations, but legitimate agents will encourage you to verify their identity.

Authorities say you can protect yourself from this type of scam by asking for a callback number and calling the agency's main information number to confirm the identity of the person you are speaking with. The FBI number is 763-569-8000 and the BCA number is 651-793-7000.

There is also help available for people who have been victimized by this scam. You can learn more by visiting the link below:

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