State College Police Warn of Phone Scam

State College Police are warning residents about a phone scam using a spoofed police department number.

Police said on Tuesday that they’ve learned a caller is telling people there are warrants for their arrests in an attempt to get money or personal information. The calls appear to be coming from the police department, but the number has been spoofed, meaning the caller has falsified the information being transmitted to caller ID.

‘Law enforcement or the government will not be calling you on the phone in an attempt to gain money or other items of value,’ a department statement said.

In addition to trying to get potential victims to provide money orders, gift cards or other items of value that cannot be traced, spoofing is often used in an attempt to get personal information that can then be used for fraudulent activity or sold illegally, police said.

Residents are advised that caller ID information is not reliable proof of who is calling and personal information should not be given out over the phone based on the name that appears on caller ID.